Accidentally in Love
by KB103
Summary: When Arizona is hired as the new Head of Pediatric Surgery she discovers Callie Torres also works there. This realization sends them on a journey to a summer 12 years ago, trying to figure out what to do with their future.
1. Prologue and Chapter 1

Title: Accidentally in Love  
Author: KB103  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona A/U  
Rating: PG 13 - NC17 (Basically I reserve the right to include smutty scenes lol)  
Summary: When Arizona is hired as the new Head of Pediatric Surgery she discovers Callie Torres also works there. This realization sends them on a journey to a summer 12 years ago, trying to figure out what to do with their future.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's, that distinction is reserved for Shonda. No copyright infringement is intended by this story, just lots of smiles and giggles. Also the Culver Academies is a private, educational institution and none of the views expressed in this fic reflect theirs.

A/N: I just wanted to sort of introduce myself. My name is KB and I write primarily at .com, but people have mentioned that I should post over here, so I thought I'd give it a shot. This first part is the Prologue and the first chapter.

Happy Reading,

~KB~

Accidentally in Love

_Prologue_

_Arizona Robbins stared at the OR board at Seattle Grace Hospital. She had been there for only a few days, so she had yet to meet the entire staff. One name on the board caught her eye, however. Torres, C. Arizona had heard the whisperings about Dr. Torres, but until she saw the name on the board Arizona never entertained the thought that Dr. Torres could be Calliope Torres. She sighed as she remembered the name. So many good memories were attached to Calliope Torres, and one painful goodbye. _

_If there was one regret Arizona had in life, it was letting Calliope slip away. She often thought of her warm, tanned skin, her raven hair, and her big, chocolate brown eyes. God those eyes. Arizona remembered getting lost in them for hours, sitting on her dock or doing something ridiculous that Calliope had planned for them. _

_Arizona shook her head, wrapping herself in her coat. She needed to finally move on from the stunning Latina. She had heard of this place called the Emerald City Bar, but her colleagues referred to the place simply as Joe's. So Arizona was going to Joes. She was going to learn about the people with whom she worked, and damnit, she was going to have fun. _

_As she descended the stairs into the lobby, Arizona had second thoughts. What if Calliope was a Joes? What if Torres, C wasn't Calliope? What if it was? As much as Arizona hated to admit it, since she saw the name on the OR board not ten minutes ago, she wanted nothing more than for Dr. Torres to be her Calliope. _

_Her Calliope? So much for moving on._

_Arizona sighed as the evening air washed across her face. Maybe this cool, Seattle night would knock some sense into her. Doubtful, but a girl could hope. The door to Joes dinged as she pulled it open. Arizona quickly stepped inside, her blonde curls bouncing behind her. She quickly scanned the room, looking for a familiar place. As her eyes reached the bar, they settled on an extremely familiar raven haired beauty. _

"_Calliope," Arizona breathed aloud._

_The woman at the bar looked towards the door, her eyes locking with Arizona's. They gasped. In that moment, everyone disappeared. Arizona could feel herself drowning, something she hadn't felt in over ten years. All that mattered was her eyes, this moment, and the memories they shared. _

Chapter 1

(12 years ago)

Callie Torres stretched her legs as she stepped out of her Mercedes GL450 SUV. She walked around to the back of her car to check the speed boat she had attached. She could feel the hot sun caressing her skin, and couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect of being in the water in only a few hours. She just finished her sophomore year of college. It had been stressful to no end, but Callie had made it through. Now, Callie had all summer to unwind up at her family's summer home in Culver, Indiana. It was a long way from their home in Miami, but the Torres family had been taking the summer months off in the small, Indiana town since Callie was around five. Her father, a wealthy business man, had been in Indianapolis on one of his trips when he had dinner with Jim Irsay, the new owner of the Indianapolis Colts. Irsay had a house on Lake Maxinkuckee and he urged Carlos to visit him. Long story short, Callie's father had fallen in love with the quaint, Indiana town and purchased property on the east shore of the lake.

Callie, like her father, had been in love with the place since she first stepped into town. Culver was like a breath of fresh air. Miami was all about the lights, limos, and parties. Up here, though, Callie felt she could truly relax. There were tons of parties, but they couldn't really compare to what went on in Miami. There was just so much pressure to be glamorous all the time carrying around a name like Torres. Here, Callie could just put on jeans and a nice t-shirt, walk outside, grab a beer, and dance the night away. So each summer she drove from Florida to Indiana, pulling the boat her dad had bought for her. Over the years she had fallen in with a great group of people. They all met in Indianapolis, where she was now, before caravanning the rest of the way to Culver. Callie anxiously checked her watch. It was noon; they should be getting here soon.

"Yo Torres," Callie heard a voice call out, a smile instantly playing on the corners of her lips.

In the distance she saw Mark driving up in his black Ford pickup truck. Callie first met Mark Sloan when she was barely eleven years old. His family had bought the house next to hers and Callie may have had a tiny crush (he was a couple years older). They grew up together, kissed a few times, and became the best of friends. Mark had been Callie's rock, even though he lived in Missouri and attended college in NYC. Whenever she called, he would always answer. To some people he was only a man-whore (he sure did make the rounds of women), but Callie saw another side of him. He was practically her brother and she loved him with all her heart. She was excited to see him again, and when he finally parked his truck Callie nearly pounced on him. "Hi! I missed you!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"I missed you too! Florida is too far away."

"It's not my fault you decided to go to school in New York instead of coming to UF with me."

"Columbia is a pretty nice school Cal," Mark replied laughing. "Plus you could have gone to Princeton instead of staying at home."

Callie's eyes sobered. "You know why I stayed home Mark."

Mark's expression softened; immediately regretting his joke. "I'm sorry, Callie. I was just messing around."

"I know Mark. It's over anyways," Callie said with a reassuring smile. "Anyway, have you heard from Cristina?"

"Yeah, she and Meredith are flying into South Bend. They should land at 7:30 or something like that."

"And Addison?"

"She should be here any minute," Mark replied, but looked down the highway anyway. He saw Addison's red Porsche drive up to the rest stop. "There she is."

Callie raised her eyebrows. "And apparently she brought Cristina, Derek and Meredith."

Mark leaned over and whispered. "Technically she brought Cristina and Derek and Meredith drove behind them. But still I didn't even know she spoke to them after the summer was over."

"Who cares?" Callie said with a shrug. "The gang's all here."

"What about Teddy and Owen?"

Callie waved her hand dismissively. "They're already there getting ready for the small people. You know that."

"I forget these things," Mark admitted.

"Callie!" Addison squealed as she exited her car. "I'm so excited to see you again!"

"This summer is gonna me awesome!" Callie exclaimed. "How does it feel to be done with college?"

"Absolutely amazing. And just think, only a couple of years before you join Mark, Derek, and I, at Johns Hopkins for med school."

"We'll see about that Addison," Callie replied with a laugh. "I may decide on something different you know. A change of pace, something not too predictable…maybe Harvard or something."

At that Addison literally almost fell on the ground laughing. "You would never go to Harvard. Besides, if you did, I'd kill you. Then, I'd bring you back to life and drag your sorry, zombie ass to Johns Hopkins."

"Whatever you say Addison."

"Oh my God guys!" Meredith's voice cut through the group. "I didn't tell you. Guess who is working at Woodcraft this summer?" Everyone just stared blankly, wondering why the hell this was important. "The half-sister I've never met." A chorus of curses escaped the mouths of the group of friends. "Yeah, so can we go so I can get some alcohol please?"

"Sure Meredith, we can go," Mark replied.

Callie shook her head as she climbed back into her truck. The rest of the drive was relatively boring to most people. It was just a straight shot up US 31 through the Indiana countryside. Callie, however, truly enjoyed the ride. Driving through Indiana was nothing like any other portion of the country Callie had experienced. The land stretched on for miles and she could see all of it. The corn and bean fields had charmed their way into Callie's heart. What most people thought was dull and plain, Callie recognized as her second home.

It amused Callie that so much of her life had taken place in this small town. While all of her Miami friends stayed home and bombed around clubs all summer, Callie had escaped to a town they had never heard of, spending her time relaxing on the dock, swimming, tubing, or anything else she deemed necessary. What Callie enjoyed most about Culver, though, was seeing all the kids running around. Besides Lake Max, which was the second largest natural lake in the state, there was a massive boarding school campus located in the town. Spanning 1800 acres, the Culver Academies served as one of the largest boarding schools in the country. Included in that acreage, however, was a cabin style summer camp called Woodcraft that each summer opened its doors to children ages 9 – 14, while the main campus, also known as Upper Camp hosted campers age 13-17. Seeing those kids running around and enjoying Culver as much as she did always made Callie smile.

Callie angrily honked her horn as she hit the traffic in Kokomo. Damn. She had been hoping to avoid this crap by hitting it right after lunch. Unfortunately that was not the case. Callie hated this portion of the drive. Kokomo had tons of traffic lights, all of them long, and she never hit any of them when they were green. To make matters worse, this idiot couldn't drive to save his life. But Culver was only one hour away. Only one hour…she could make it one more hour.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here's the second chapter. I hope you are all enjoying it.

~KB~

Chapter 2

Arizona had long decided that orientation sucked. How difficult is it to play with some children? A week long orientation was hardly necessary. Arizona loved children, though, which was why she took this job. She had just finished her undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and decided to spend her summer before medical school as a camp counselor. It wasn't uncharacteristic of Arizona to want to spend exorbitant amounts of time with kids, but this summer she had wanted to study and prepare for her first year of medical school at Harvard. Then she had been browsing on the internet, accidentally coming across Culver's website. She couldn't help but fall in love with the place and applied on the spot.

Now here she was, sitting in a rather uncomfortable chair listening to idiots drone on about drinking and the random drug tests that would be occurring over the course of the summer. Damn this place was hardcore. Drug tests, rules out the butt, what was next? Just then Arizona thought she might faint. She had to go through learning how to fold clothes? What had she gotten herself into?

"You look a little overwhelmed," a woman said to Arizona.

Arizona immediately felt a blush climb up her cheeks. "Yeah. I just didn't realize…how um hardcore this place is."

The woman let out a small laugh. "This is just the scary part. If you are legally able to drink and not on duty when you do, they won't touch you and the drug tests aren't random at all so as long as you don't give them a reason to do otherwise, they'll leave you alone all summer."

"Well that's good to know," Arizona replied, letting out a sigh of relief. She quickly went to amend her statement because she knew how it must sound. "I mean, I'm not a huge partier, I just hate being in trouble."

"I'm Teddy," The woman said, thrusting out her hand for a handshake.

Arizona clasped the warm hand with a smile on her face. "Arizona."

"So, Arizona, what brings you to Culver?"

Arizona shrugged and smiled. "I stumbled on it while surfing the web. I saw some pictures and fell in love. Plus, I just adore kids."

"So you're at Woodcraft then? Cabin Counselor?"

Arizona nodded. "Yep. Cabin 13. What about you?"

"I lifeguard and do water sports at Upper Camp. I like kids, but living with a bunch of nine year olds for a summer is not exactly what I had in mind."

"So how many summers have you been here?" Arizona asks, knowing that Teddy was obviously not new to this place.

"Well this is my third summer working here, and probably my last," Teddy replied sadly. "But my family has a condo here, so I've been coming up since I was in middle school."

"That's cool. So are a lot of families here like that? You know coming up here for years?"

"There are two kinds of summer people in Culver: those who think they're better than everyone else because they own property up here, and those who legitimately love this place. My friends and I, we fall into the latter category."

"Well that's good to know," Arizona replied warmly. She looked back towards the screen and realized she hadn't been paying attention at all since she started talking to Teddy. This was a major problem, considering the blonde was going to be responsible for teaching all of the children how to fold their clothes. "Crap! I have no idea what I'm doing."

"Hey, it's ok," Teddy said, putting a hand on Arizona's shoulder. "I was a counselor a couple of years ago before I got smart," Teddy joked. "Seriously, though, how about I stop by later today and help you with some stuff?"

"That'd be super! Thanks Teddy."

"Don't mention it," Teddy replied, glancing at her watch. The presentation was basically over and it was clear Teddy had some place to be. "Hey, I gotta run. It was nice meeting you." She quickly scrawled something on a bit of paper. "Here's my number. Text me and I'll text you when I'm on my way over."

"OK," Arizona replied as she watched Teddy disappear out of the room. She had made a friend. The thought made Arizona beam. Culver was an interesting place, not only the camps, but the town as well. Arizona had realized quickly how small it truly was, but that didn't that made it even harder to meet people. She had been around for a few days, but until she met Teddy there had been exactly zero friend prospects.

Arizona left Legion Memorial, a building on the main campus, to head back towards Woodcraft. She hopped on her black and white Diamondback bike, pedaling on the lakefront path. She passed the First Classmen Ring where all the older kids from Upper Camp hung out and played volleyball. Arizona loved biking along this path. Some counselors drove everywhere, but Arizona didn't understand that. The lakefront was one of the most beautiful things Arizona had ever seen. She whizzed by the Naval Building, glancing at the docks as she went. A huge sailboat sat just off the huge dock. Arizona thought she remembered someone telling her it was called the Ledbetter. She hoped she got to get out on Lake Max this summer. There hadn't been a moment since Arizona arrived in Culver that the lake hadn't been crammed with boats. It looked so exciting!

Arizona slowed down as she reached her cabin. She climbed off her bike and gently leaned it against the wood. There was music coming from the cabin, loud and happy music. Confused, Arizona hopped up the steps and opened the door. "Hello?" She called.

A cute brunette about Arizona's size bounded from the small room that was Arizona's private room within the cabin. "Hi!" She exclaimed, sticking out her hand. "I'm Lexie, the assistant counselor who will be staying with you this summer."

Arizona had wondered why there were bunk beds in her room. "Oh! Ok, that explains a lot," Arizona said, shaking the girl's hand. "I'm Arizona."

"Cool, so where are you from?"

"Wisconsin. What about you?"

"Washington state."

"That's awesome," Arizona replied with a smile. "So is this your first summer?"

"Yeah. I just graduated from high school. I loved high school. I was valedictorian and prom queen and had amazing friends. I can't wait to go to college. My dad flipped when he heard I was coming out here. His other daughter, my half-sister, she comes out here and I wanted to meet her, so I decided to work here this summer. How my dad knows this is beyond me, because they haven't talked literally since Meredith was seven, but whatever." Lexie stopped momentarily to take a breath. "Sorry, I was rambling. I ramble when I'm nervous. Anyway what about you? First summer too?"

"Yeah, it's my first summer. I'm going to med school in the fall and I needed something to do this summer."

"Where are you going?"

"Harvard."

Lexie squealed, the high pitched noise piercing Arizona's ear drums. "That's where I want to go."

"Yeah, I'm excited."

"Ok well. I have to head to lunch with Meredith, that half sister of mine."

"Ok you go have fun."

"Will do," Lexie said, skipping out the door of the cabin. Arizona sat on the bottom bunk and pulled out her phone. She had sent Teddy a quick text as she came into the cabin, and it so happened that Teddy had replied while Arizona was talking to Lexie. Apparently Teddy would be here in a few minutes. The thought made Arizona smile. If things kept going like this, Arizona very well could have the best summer of her life. Now she just needed to find a party.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Callie arrived in Culver at around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Instead of turning onto 117, the road that led to her house, Callie led the caravan down Sage Rd to the public boat launch. Thankfully, because it was a Tuesday it wasn't that crowded. Callie calmly backed her trailer into the water before getting out of the car. She smiled as Addison's Porsche came to a halt near Callie's SUV. Callie smirked at Cristina and tossed her the keys to her car.

"Drive my car to my place please," Callie said as she climbed into the boat.

"How are you getting there?" Cristina asked. She quickly realized the stupidity of her question as Callie glared at her. "Oh. The boat. Right."

Callie just stared at Cristina as she backed her boat into the water. She took off across the lake, allowing the wind to whip through her long, raven hair. This was her favorite part about coming to Culver. In her opinion, there was nothing like speeding across the open water with the sun shining on her face. In the years since Callie's family had owned property here, the lake had exploded. It was nearly impossible to find property anymore. On the east shore, where Callie's house was located, the houses were so cramped in some spots that Callie swore someone could reach from one window into the next house. It was just getting nuts.

Callie saw her dock looming in the distance. As she approached the buoy, she gently reduced her speed. She smiled when she saw the jet skis had already been put in their slips. They had a small fleet, around six, so that Callie and her sister Aria could enjoy them with their friends. Callie guessed that when Aria had come up last month, she had them put in. The Latina slowly maneuvered her boat into the slip reserved for it. After securing it, she stepped off the boat, and cranked it out of the water. She walked down the pier, occasionally dipping her foot in the water, towards her house.

It was large, even by Lax Max standards. Standing at roughly 6,000 square feet, the home Carlos Torres had purchased had been completed by Norman Perry in 1929. Her father, however, had expanded the house and remodeled the interior to make it a bit more modern. But he did keep the exterior the same. It was a revival of Spanish Colonial architecture which always made Callie smile. It was like taking a small part of Florida and inserting it in Indiana. At the time, Carlos had been trying to convince his daughters that spending the summers in a place that was 1000 miles away wouldn't be so bad. Callie was still grateful for the gesture.

Spanish architecture had always been one of her favorite things. When her family visited Disney World, they would often eat in Winter Park at this little Italian place which was right next to Rollins College. Callie and her father would always take walks through the campus, often enjoying pleasant conversations. Part of Callie had wanted to go to Rollins, for that reason, but it was too small for her. She was happy at Florida, lots of football games and parties, and the classes weren't that bad either. If Callie was being truthful, however, she would have preferred to go to Princeton, but life had gotten in the way.

Sighing, Callie opened the patio door with the key she always kept under the flower pot. All her friends knew where it was just in case they needed somewhere safe to crash, hide, or whatever. A blast of cool air hit her as she stepped inside. Callie mentally said a thank you to her father for calling ahead to have the maintenance crew turn on the AC. Callie moved through the central room, which served as their living room, to the front door so she could wait for the others to arrive.

It wasn't five minutes before the small caravan of cars pulled into the driveway. Callie wasted no time before kicking Cristina out of her car, so she could take off the boat trailer. After it was taken care of, Callie returned to the living room to find Cristina, Mark, Addison, and Derek sprawled over the comfortable brown couches.

"You know, I'm pretty sure you guys have your own places," Callie joked as she went into the kitchen to grab some drinks. She returned with her arms full of Pepsi, Mt. Dew, and Sierra Mist. The group simply sat on the couches sipping their refreshments while relishing the feeling of being back at Culver. "Where's Meredith?" Callie asked, noticing her absence.

Derek took a Mt. Dew from Callie's arms. "We dropped her off at Corndance for her meet and greet with her sister."

"Oh ok," Callie replied as she tossed the different drinks to the rest of the company.

"Hey Cal?" Mark asked.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to have a bonfire tonight?"

"Mark," Callie groaned, "we just got here. I'd have to go buy wood, set up the fire pit, put gas in all the boats, and party proof the house. I wanted to relax tonight and I don't know, unpack maybe."

"What if I did all that?"

Callie waved her hand at him. "Fine, but it's just going to be us. We're not throwing a huge bash tonight. Text Teddy and Owen to let them know and everyone else, but I am not having a million people crawling all over this place."

"Oh I'm excited," Mark said as he whipped out his phone to text everyone.

Arizona sat on her bunk bed waiting for Teddy. It had been about twenty minutes, so she should be there anytime. Arizona didn't know why, but she was a little nervous. She wondered to herself if she had a little crush on Teddy, and while the woman was extremely attractive, Arizona knew that wasn't the case. She wasn't looking for anything at the moment. She had just gotten out of a long relationship, and really didn't want to be in another one. Besides, she highly doubted there was a sea of lesbians in tiny Culver, Indiana. Even if there was, Arizona highly doubted she'd even know what to do.

Arizona was still getting used to the whole being "out" thing. She had never displayed an interest in men, so it didn't come as a shock to her mother. That, however, hadn't been Arizona's main concern. Her father, Colonel Daniel Robbins of the United States Marine Corps, was a traditional man and Arizona's sexual orientation did not exactly fall in to the box labeled tradition. Nevertheless, her father had only asked one question. "Are you still who I raised you to be?" Arizona answered yes without hesitation. She loved her family and country, was honorable, and respected those of authority. None of that changed because she told her father she was a lesbian.

Now Arizona felt free to be herself, but she was more unsure of whom she was as a person than ever before. She supposed that was truly the reason for her escaping to Indiana this summer. Arizona had never really been away from her parents. She grew up just a couple of hours from Madison and attended college in the capital. She often received visits from them and her brother Aaron. But this summer before medical school was going to be about her figuring out what she wanted to do with her life, her purpose. All Arizona knew was that she wanted to be a doctor. She fully intended to figure out more about herself before leaving for Harvard in the fall.

Sighing, Arizona got off her bed. She headed towards the back of the cabin, sitting down on the steps and looked over the field to the lake. She smiled as she saw Teddy peddling on the gravel road. Culver was so small that a bike was really the only transportation one needed to get around the campus and into town. Arizona loved that.

"Hey Teddy!" She called out to the woman.

Teddy continued biking, cutting across the grass before coming to a halt at the bottom of the stairs. "Hey! How was your afternoon?"

"It was ok. I met this assistant counselor who is apparently living with me. She's…young," Arizona replied, her nose scrunching in a mixture of confusion and slight dislike.

Teddy laughed at the face Arizona made. "They tend to be. Don't worry though, I'm sure you'll get along just fine. Besides, if you don't, you can just come visit me. I'm unattached, so I live in my parents' condo."

"That's awesome. I may just take you up on that."

"I count on it," Teddy said with a wink. She started to walk up the stairs, motioning for Arizona to follow her. "Hey let's go work on your folding skills."

Arizona laughed, got off the steps, and followed Teddy inside. For the next hour, Teddy showed Arizona the ins and outs of the system at Woodcraft. Arizona was a bit overwhelmed but definitely happy that Teddy had come to help her. Everything had to be done a certain way; it was part of the leadership system instilled at the camp. Woodcraft had a military component to it, the point being to teach the kids discipline and accountability. They were inspected every day and rewarded through a ranking system that sort of mirrored that of the army. It gave the kids something for which to strive and Arizona loved it. Teddy even drilled her a little bit to make sure Arizona knew the various positions. Teddy was surprised at how well she did, but Arizona informed Teddy of her military background. She and her brother used to drill in the back yard for fun when they were kids. She actually managed to remember a lot.

Right before Teddy was getting ready to leave, her phone buzzed. She glanced down and smiled.

"Good news?" Arizona asked.

"Definitely," Teddy replied. "That was my friend Mark. They're throwing a bonfire at Callie's tonight, the first of the summer. Hey, why don't you come? You can meet some non camp people. It'll be fun."

Arizona blushed nervously. "I don't know any of them."

Teddy dismissed Arizona's comment with a wave of her hand. "It doesn't matter. You know me. You'll have a blast. I'll pick you up at like 9."

"Is it far?"

"Nah just up 117 on East Shore."

"OK. I'll see you then. I've gotta head back to campus now. I'll text you."

"OK bye Teddy," Arizona called as Teddy bounded out the door and down the stairs. Arizona smiled at the thought of going out tonight. Looks like she just found her party.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Accidentally in Love  
Author: KB103  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona A/U  
Rating: PG 13 - NC17 (Basically I reserve the right to include smutty scenes lol)  
Summary: When Arizona is hired as the new Head of Pediatric Surgery she discovers Callie Torres also works there. This realization sends them on a journey to a summer 12 years ago, trying to figure out what to do with their future.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's, that distinction is reserved for Shonda. No copyright infringement is intended by this story, just lots of smiles and giggles. Also the Culver Academies is a private, educational institution and none of the views expressed in this fic reflect theirs.

A/N: Thanks to the few people who have been reviewing…I really appreciate it. Anyway, I hope this meets your expectations. As always…

Happy reading,

~KB~

* * *

Chapter 4

Arizona frantically searched through her very messy dresser for something to wear to this "bonfire". She had already decided on a pair of dark, tightly fitted jeans, but she had no idea what top to wear. She finally decided on a simple tight fitting Wisconsin Badgers tee. It was a bonfire after all.

Arizona quickly checked her phone. Teddy would be here in a few minutes and Arizona couldn't have been more excited. From what she had heard, the summer people around here partied hard. She had never been a big partier, but she wanted to unwind before she spent the next few years with her nose in a book. She was all for having fun, but Arizona was still focused and driven.

The blonde quickly grabbed her purse after deciding she would wait for Teddy on the back steps. It wasn't long before she saw a jeep flash their lights down by Cardinal Creek. Arizona checked her phone and sure enough, it was Teddy. She hopped down the steps, jogging across the small field and the bridge. Arizona climbed into the Jeep, a smile plastered on her face.

"You excited or just happy to see me?" Teddy quipped.

"Both," Arizona replied honestly. As they began to drive south of 117, Arizona could see the outlines of gigantic houses in the distance. This peaked her curiosity about Teddy and her group of friends. "So tell me about them."

"About who?"

"Your friends. You know, whatever you feel like sharing if anything at all."

Teddy laughed. She thought Arizona's curiosity was adorable. "Ok. Well the place we're going; it belongs to this girl named Callie Torres. I've known her for a few years. She's from Florida and has been around the longest of any of us. Her best friend is a guy named Mark. He just graduated from Columbia and is supposedly going to Johns Hopkins for medical school, but personally I think he wants to stay at Columbia. Oh, and He's from Missouri, plus he's Callie's neighbor. Cristina is a little, abrasive spitfire. Her family sold their property a few years ago, but she still comes back to hang out with us. She's from California, so she stays with Callie while she's here. Meredith is Cristina's closest friend, but she lives in Boston. She found Culver through Addison and Derek. Their parents are doctors, so they've known each other for quite some time. There's this weird love-triangle dynamic thing going on, but no one actually knows what is happening. Next there's Owen. He's my best friend and typically stays with me during the summer. I met him while working at camp my first summer. He definitely has a thing for Cristina, but she's a little young for him. Finally there is me. I'm from Chicago and my dad bought a condo when I was 13. I've been coming here for the summers ever since."

"Holy cow, that was a lot of information."

Teddy smiled and pulled into the large driveway of the Torres' home. "Yeah," She said while looking over at Arizona, "there's a lot to know, but I think we're a great group of people. You'll have fun tonight. I can feel it."

Returning Teddy's smile, she exited the Jeep. Her jaw dropped as she took in her surroundings. This place was huge. Arizona had heard about the houses around the lake, especially East and South Shore, but she hadn't expected this. It was easily the biggest house Arizona had ever seen and the most beautiful. "Wow."

Teddy came up behind her, throwing an arm over Arizona's shoulder. "I know."

"Just wow."

Teddy laughed. "Come on," She said pulling Arizona towards the door. "Let's go inside."

Arizona followed Teddy up the stone path that led to the front door. Teddy didn't even bother knocking; she simply swung open the door, much to Arizona's surprise. They walked through the foyer and into a living area, both of which were empty. Arizona could see out onto the patio, however, and there was a massive fire going outside and a group of people. Teddy opened the patio door with ease, allowing them to step back into the cool, twilight air.

"Teddy!" A chorus of people yelled from around the fire. She bounded over to them and gave them each a massive hug. Arizona stood firmly planted in her spot, awkwardly inspecting a cooler. She tried to pretend that she wasn't uncomfortable, but it was probably quite obvious that she was.

"Arizona," Teddy shouted, waving the blonde over to the group huddled by the fire. "Guys this is my new friend Arizona. She works at Woodcraft as a counselor. Arizona, this is Mark, Derek, Addison, and Cristina," she said going around the fire. Arizona smiled warmly at all of them, too overwhelmed to really make much of a conversation.

She turned over her shoulder as she heard the patio door open once again. "Meredith!" The people around the fire yelled. The woman who appeared to be Meredith approached the fire with another person in tow who Arizona quickly discovered was her summer bunkmate, Lexie.

"Guys," Meredith said, "this is my half-sister Lexie. She's working at Woodcraft this summer."

Lexie smiled. "Hi everyone."

Arizona was floored. Talk about a small world. The half-sister Lexie had never met was Meredith who was Teddy's friend? How did stuff like that even happen? Arizona had noticed one absence, the woman Teddy referred to as Callie. She apparently lived here, but Arizona hadn't seen even a glimpse of her. She excused herself to go to the bathroom. Arizona thought Teddy might have told her where it was, but Arizona hadn't heard. She made her way back into the house, wandering around relatively aimlessly. She walked back to the foyer and turned right, into the kitchen. Trailing her finger over a countertop, Arizona continued down a narrow looking hallway. She heard music coming from one of the rooms. The door was open, so Arizona cautiously poked her head inside. What she saw caused her breath to hitch. A tall, Latina woman danced around her room clad only in a cami and panties. Arizona presumed she was getting ready, but it was just so cute, borderline sexy actually. Her Raven hair flew around her body as she moved. Arizona was mesmerized.

Then, the Latina stopped and turned around, staring at Arizona. The blonde froze, unsure of what to do. She tried to speak, but no words came out. The brunette looked at her as if Arizona was nuts. "Can I help you?" She asked impatiently.

"Um…um," Arizona stammered. "Bathroom?"

"Right behind you," the girl said, smirking.

"Oh," Arizona replied weakly. She turned around and quickly went into the bathroom. The blonde closed the door, leaning against it as she tried to figure out what just happened. OK well, she knew what happened. She saw a hot girl – no a ridiculously hot girl – dancing in her underwear. Then, she panicked and looked like an idiot. Perfect. Now she was hiding in the bathroom.

Arizona splashed cold water on her face, hoping it would give her some kind of perspective. She wanted to know that girl, wanted to kiss her and dance with her. This was not good. Joanne had sort of fell into Arizona's lap. There were no games or chases, it just happened. Never mind that this girl was probably straight and now thought she was a stalker. Well, she kind of was a stalker, but those things were all details. Big picture: Arizona wanted that girl and she had no idea what she was doing.

Sighing, she left the bathroom. She couldn't help but look to see if the girl was still there. She wasn't. Arizona figured she should make her way back to the bonfire. After almost getting lost a couple of times, she finally made it back to the patio. In the short time she was gone; however, the small bonfire had erupted into an actual party. There must have been close to a hundred people crowding the patio, fire pit, and pier. People were swimming and dancing. Arizona searched around for Teddy, but to no avail.

Her eyes landed on the beautiful Latina from earlier screaming at who Arizona thought was Mark. She seemed really pissed off. After pushing him in the chest, she stomped off down the pier. Arizona didn't know what came over her, but she followed. She found the girl undoing her boat and lowering into the water. "Hey," Arizona said cautiously.

"Um hi."

Arizona took a deep breath. The brunette seemed pretty annoyed. "Are you ok?"

"How would you feel if you had just driven from Florida and instead of spending a quiet first night with your friends, you walk out into a party of about 100 people? I mean I don't know these people. I told Mark we could do a bonfire if he set it up and it wasn't big. 100 people? What the fuck? Meredith brings her sister and Mark invites Alex Karev who just decides to tell fucking everyone!"

"I'm sorry," Arizona whispers, suddenly feeling embarrassed and really out of place. "If I had known, I never would have come."

The Latina's eyes softened. "Don't be sorry. Teddy asked me if you could come. She said you were cool. Arizona right?" The blonde nodded. "I'm Callie by the way. I'm just going to go out for a bit and clear my head."

"Would you like some company?" Arizona asked hopefully.

"Honestly, I think I just need to be alone."

Arizona's face fell. "Oh ok." She turned on her heal and began to walk back up the pier.

"Wait," Arizona heard Callie call to her. "I think I could use the company after all…if you still want to come anyway."

Arizona beamed as she returned to Callie's boat. Callie reached out her hand to help the blonde in. Once Arizona was safely aboard the boat, Callie guided it away from the pier. Moving slowly over the water, Arizona marveled at the view from the lake. They were surrounded by darkness so the sky shone bright with stars and the moon. After spending most of the year in Madison, Arizona always loved to see a sky littered with stars.

Callie killed the engine allowing them to float and be rocked by the small waves created by the light breeze. It was such a beautiful night, perfect for cruising on the water. She looked over at Arizona. Her pale skin glowed in the moonlight, but Callie could also see her blue eyes sparkling. She had noticed her adorable dimples earlier. Everything about Arizona screamed adorable. For some reason she had been able to calm Callie down in mere seconds.

"So," Arizona said, breaking the silence, "are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah," Callie replied with a smile, "I definitely am. I'm glad you came out with me."

"Me too."

"Where do you go to school?"

"I just graduated from UW-Madison, but I'm going to Harvard for med school in the fall."

Callie shook her head. "Don't tell Addison that, she'll kill you."

"Why?" Arizona asked with a laugh.

"She's going to Johns Hopkins for medical school, so are Mark and Derek, but she just has something against Harvard. Personally, I wouldn't mind going to Harvard, but I'll probably end up at Johns Hopkins, Columbia, or Stanford."

"Wow. Everybody here is going to medical school," Arizona commented.

Callie laughed. "I guess it does seem that way, but truthfully it's the bond that holds us together. Yeah we all hang out here, but we're so different. It's literally the one thing we all have in common."

"So you're still doing your undergrad?"

Callie nodded. "Yeah, I'll be a junior at Florida. I didn't want to be too far from home, but I didn't want to stay in Miami."

"That's understandable. I was the same way with UW for me. I live a couple hours away, but I still got the separation from my parents."

They had been out for an hour or so when they decided to go back. Callie carefully guided them back to the pier. She, once again, helped Arizona as they exited the boat onto the pier. They stood there silently for a few minutes just enjoying the night. "I think I'm going to find Teddy and head back," Arizona said.

"Would you like me to give you a ride?"

"Sure."

Callie nodded and led Arizona down the pier and into the throng of people on the patio. Arizona blushed as the brunette grabbed her hand. It was just to make sure she didn't lose her, but Arizona couldn't help but feel a small rush of electricity. She felt hopeful as Callie continued to hold her hand until they were to her car that was well beyond the crowd.

The drive back to Woodcraft was silent. It was comfortable, just silent. Callie parked the car at the makeshift gravel parking lot right off the road. Much to Arizona's surprise, the Latina got out of the car along with Arizona. They walked closely through the small field leading to Arizona's cabin. They climbed the steps, Callie stopping one short while Arizona stood on the top, making them about the same height.

"Thanks," Callie said suddenly, breaking the silence, "you know, for everything."

Arizona shrugged. "I had a great time."

"I'll see you soon, yes?"

"Probably," Arizona answered with a smile, "I'm sure Teddy will bully me into doing something with you guys."

"I hope so."

"Ok well I'm going to go to bed."

"I'll text you tomorrow. I'll just steal your number from Teddy."

"Ok."

"Ok." Callie hesitated. She didn't really want to leave. There was something about this girl that made her want to be around her. She leaned in quickly, placing a lingering kiss on Arizona's cheek before running down the stairs and back across the grass.

Arizona stared after her in shock. Did that really just happen? She touched her cheek, which was still tingling, before deciding to go inside and attempt to sleep. Hopefully her dreams would be filled with images of Callie.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry this is late! I got busy yesterday and totally forgot to post this chapter. I'll make it up to you somehow…I promise. Anyway…thank you to those who have been reviewing…it's always nice to see what you like…what you're picking up on. I appreciate them. Anyway…as always….

Happy reading,

~KB~

* * *

Callie stirred early in the morning, woken by her alarm. It was seven, and the sun had only just peaked out from behind the clouds fifteen minutes ago. Groaning, Callie pulled herself out of Trevor's bed. Trevor was Liz's younger brother, but he was away last night. Most younger brothers would be pissed to find a stranger in their bed, but Callie had slept over enough times that Trevor was used to it. If he was home, Trevor would often just sleep on the couch so Callie wouldn't have to. He was a real sweetheart.

After wandering to the bathroom, Callie splashed some water on her face hoping it would do something to wake her up. She had a long day ahead of her. This afternoon would probably be filled with cleaning her trashed house, but at least she had breakfast to look forward to. Café Max was probably her favorite place in town. Culver had tons of restaurants in town, but only one fast food restaurant, a fact that never failed to amuse Callie. Even though she had eaten there countless times, Café Max would forever remain her favorite. Her father took her there all the time when she was a kid. Those were some of her fondest memories as a child. Her father would drive them in one of the boats and dock it at the public pier. Then, they would walk along the lakefront until they reached the Cove condos. Callie still marveled at how big, how strong his hand had once felt. She remembered kissing his frail hand before she left to come up to Culver for the summer. His grip was a far cry from what she remembered as a child. It scared Callie, terrified her, and completely broke her. She couldn't help but shake the guilty feeling of being here. Liz had been right when she said that her father wanted Callie to be in Culver, but at this moment it didn't seem like it was enough to keep the guilt at bay.

Callie knew there was nothing she could do except enjoy this potentially final gift her father had given her. That's what she planned on doing, but each day was making it increasingly difficult. The initial joy of being back in Indiana had nearly dissipated completely leaving Callie in a wake of sadness and uncertainty.

The brunette quickly hopped in the shower, hoping the warm water would help to wash away her fears. The water beat against her back in a mixture of pleasurable release and painful realization. There was nothing Callie wanted more than to wake up in the morning and not feel the pain to which she had become accustomed. As Callie toweled off she thought of Arizona, quite possibly the only bright spot she could cling to.

Callie didn't know much about the blonde, but what she did know about her kept Callie yearning to find out more. Callie didn't know what she wanted with the girl; she just wanted to spend time with her. Callie sighed as she ran a brush through her hair. Truth be told, Callie had done things with women; she had kissed them, even embarked on a very short relationship in high school before her father forced her to end it. Maybe that's why she was feeling so guilty. She had a monster crush on a woman whom she just met, that her father was surely to disapprove of. So Callie decided to play it cool. She'll just pretend she didn't want to kiss Arizona. Besides, she didn't even know if Arizona was into women.

As she slipped on her clothes, Callie almost laughed at herself. Anyone with half a brain could have seen the way Arizona looked at Callie last night. When she had met Arizona's eyes for the first time, Callie had seen wonder, curiosity, and just a hint of lust. That's what made this game so dangerous. Callie knew she was behaving stupidly, but she just didn't care. Friends went to breakfast all the time. All the time.

Just maybe not after no friendly kisses on the cheek.

Finally ready, Callie climbed into her SUV and backed out of the driveway careful to avoid the stone wall behind her. She drove to Woodcraft the same way she had come to Liz's last night. It was undeniably faster and Callie worried she might be late. After a few minutes, she parked the car in the gravel parking lot. Not seeing Arizona down by the creek, Callie opted to go up to her cabin. Reaching the stairs in a matter of minutes, Callie quickly climbed them. The cabin seemed really quiet and Callie couldn't help but smile. Arizona was probably still asleep. As Callie peaked her head in the small counselor bedroom she confirmed her suspicions. Arizona was still curled up with her blankets, her blonde curls splayed across the pillow.

* * *

Callie found a post-it and a pen. She scribbled a quick note on the small sheet of paper, sticking it on a place Arizona surely wouldn't be able to miss. Callie gently caressed her cheek, smiling as Arizona sighed and pressed herself against Callie's palm. Without a sound, Callie retreated to her car, still amazed by all things Arizona Robbins.

Arizona woke with a start. She checked her phone. It was 9:30. Crap. She had orientation in a half hour and she had missed her breakfast with Callie. Great start to her morning. She ran a hand through her hair, frowning as she realized a shower was definitely in order. As she put her hand on her stomach, Arizona felt a piece of paper. She tore off the post-it, smiling as she read it.

_A, I couldn't bring myself to wake you. Rain check on breakfast? Try not to kill anyone during orientation and stop by this afternoon if you aren't busy. –C_

Arizona didn't stop smiling during her walk to the showers, the shower itself, or even orientation. She was fairly positive her smiling garnered plenty of attention from the other counselors, but Arizona didn't really care. She couldn't wait to get to Callie's. Thankfully it wasn't far, so Arizona could just ride her bike. Plus, maybe if she got her legs moving she could distract herself – even if just for a second – from the beautiful Latina haunting her every thought.

As soon as she possibly could, Arizona bolted from Legion Memorial. She hopped on her bike and immediately began peddling to Callie's house, well mansion was more accurate. She hadn't heard from Callie in a couple of hours, but since she hadn't said anything, Arizona figured it was still fine for her to come over. She climbed up the short hill that turned onto East Shore Drive. Within minutes, Arizona saw the looming form of Callie's gigantic summer home. She turned onto the long path that led to the door of the house.

After parking her bike, Arizona knocked on the door. A very stressed looking Mark answered. He frowned as he stared at Arizona's smile. "Who are you?"

"Um," Arizona stammered awkwardly, "I'm Arizona, one of Teddy's friends."

"OK Arizona, well now is not really a good time, and Teddy isn't here anyway, so…"

"Mark," Callie scolded, stepping behind him. "I invited her. Arizona," she said, addressing the now terrified blonde, "please come in; I'd like to talk to you anyway. Never mind Mark."

Arizona stepped into the house, still marveling as if it were her first. She followed Callie through the foyer to the living room. For a moment, Arizona thought they were going to the patio, but she caught sight of a rather frail looking man on the couch. She watched intently as Callie went over to him. She clasped her hands around his, murmuring to him in Spanish. She shot Arizona an apologetic look as she returned to her. Callie gently looped her fingers through Arizona's and guided her to the kitchen.

Arizona gazed at Callie. Her eyes pricked with tears as she turned away from the blonde. Arizona placed a reassuring hand on Callie's arm. "Are you ok?" She asked tenderly.

Callie put on a grateful smile. "That, um," She faltered, struggling to get the words out. "That's my father."

"OK," Arizona said, waiting to see if Callie would tell her more, but not wanting to push her.

"He's dying, Arizona. The doctors gave him six months to live. He came to visit me, but I'm going to take him home; he shouldn't be around this craziness. It's loud and busy, and he is weak." Callie was speaking fast now. "So I'm taking him home, but I'm going to stay in Miami for at least a week."

Arizona frowned. She had been expecting that, but it didn't make it easier. She felt so sad. Arizona took Callie's hand between hers. "I am truly sorry about your father, Callie."

Callie smiled a genuine smile. "For some reason Arizona, you seem to make me feel better." The tears, however, returned to her eyes and soon they were streaming down her cheeks. "My father is dying Arizona"

The blonde enveloped Callie in an emotional hug. She didn't know what else she could do for the Latina. As her arms wrapped around the taller woman, Arizona felt Callie release all her pent up emotion into her. Heartbreaking sobs wracked Callie body as she clung to the woman she barely knew. So Arizona stood their holding her because it was the only thing she could do. It broke her heart completely. But Arizona couldn't help but pray that Callie would actually return from Miami, because if she didn't, Arizona knew her heart would completely shatter.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you for your reviews, I hope you are enjoying my responses :). Seriously, though, it means a lot to me that you take the time to write a few words of feedback. I will always appreciate it. I hope this meets expectations.

Happy reading,

~KB~

* * *

The early morning sun bathed Arizona as she stirred in her bunk. She groggily gazed at the alarm clock that rested on her dresser. Groaning, Arizona pulled herself out of bed. She quickly grabbed her towel and made her way to the shower house, which was about thirty yards from her cabin. Arizona frowned as she realized a little over a week had passed since Callie had gone back to Miami. They had spoken briefly a couple of times, and last night they had a real conversation. Arizona smiled as she remembered Callie's mother screaming her full name in an effort to obtain her attention.

Right now, Arizona just wanted Callie to be back in Culver. She loved her job, but Arizona recognized that she needed a bit of a breather. These kids exhausted her to no end. They screamed and cried, but they also laughed and smiled. The laughing and smiling made Arizona's job that much more rewarding, but she still felt drained.

After showering, Arizona made her way back to her cabin. Lexie was probably up and waking up the kids by now. That was their system. Arizona showered while Lexie woke them up, and Lexie showered while Arizona helped them clean and get ready for inspection. Arizona couldn't help but smile as she heard the familiar tones of the Spice Girls' hit "Spice Up Your Life" float through the air. Lexie had made the girls a mix CD of early morning pump up songs that everyone was sure to know.

Walking through the door, still toweling her hair, Arizona was met by one of the cutest girls in her cabin: Ryan Brennan. "Lt. Robbins," the little girl said, wrapping her arms around Arizona, "will you help me make my bed?"

Arizona smiled down at the girl. She was still getting used to the idea of having "rank". It was definitely a little weird being called Lieutenant all the time, but she understood that Culver was establishing authority for the adults, so Arizona dealt with it. "Of course I will."

Ryan pulled her counselor over to one of the bottom bunks in the corner of the cabin. Even after being at camp for a week, Ryan still struggled with her bed. Arizona noticed that her cubby and closet were always perfect; it was just her bed that seemed to give her problems. Arizona crouched next the girl's bed. She pulled the bottom sheet tight before folding it over to create a "square corner". The campers weren't permitted to have fitted sheets, so each morning they had to fold their bottom sheets onto the bed. She helped Ryan finish her bed amongst all the craziness of the kids trying to get ready.

"Thanks Lt. Robbins," Ryan called as she scurried to her cubby so she could grab a sweatshirt.

Just then, the bell sounded, signaling it was time to line up for breakfast. Arizona braced herself for the sprinting that was about to happen. Sure enough, her girls ran out of the cabin at a dead sprint to Butterfly headquarters. Butterflies, Arizona had learned, was the classification of the younger girls. There were two wings that competed against each other for the Marching and Athletic banners: Butterfly Wing 1 (B1) and Butterfly Wing 2 (B2). Arizona knew it wasn't the most original thought, but if gave kids a sense of belonging and something for which they could compete.

For the last week Arizona had gone to swim meets, track meets, cabin games and wing games. Everything pitted her wing, B2, against the other. And Arizona had to admit that she enjoyed the competitiveness. The other counselors had put her in charge of the military portion of the wing. Basically, they made her the bad guy. Arizona didn't mind though; it was sort of fun. One day she used her dimpled smile to convince a Drum and Bugle Corps counselor to let her borrow one of their snare drums. She used it to drill her girls with the simple D&B cadence that the girls were used to hearing during the Retreats and Parades.

After counting to make sure they had everyone, the wing leader led the girls to the Dining Hall for breakfast. Arizona followed closely behind with the other counselors as they walked the short distance to the cafeteria. As soon as they walked inside, Arizona made a beeline for the fruit. It was probably the most safe and edible group of food in the place. On her way to grab a banana, she bumped into a short, blonde haired young woman, probably only a few years younger than Arizona. "Oh," Arizona mumbled, as she reached for a banana. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to be Arizona would you?"

Arizona arched her eyebrows. "How'd you know?"

"Um well there aren't very many cute blondes with blue eyes and dimples running around."

Arizona could feel the blush creep her cheeks. "And who have you been talking to?"

"I'm Liz," she replied, sticking out her hand out for Arizona to shake.

A look of realization crossed Arizona's face as she clasped the younger woman's hand. "Callie's friend."

"Yeah."

"You wouldn't have happened to have heard from her have you?" Arizona asked hopefully.

"No," Liz replied solemnly. "It's my understanding, though, that no one has."

Arizona fidgeted uncomfortably. "Is that so?"

"She's called you hasn't she?"

Arizona nodded. "We've spoken close to everyday…not for long though. Well except for last night. We probably talked for close to two hours last night."

Liz's eyes widened. "Callie hates talking on the phone, you know. If we were talking about anyone else, I would probably be offended by her silence, but Callie keeps things very separate."

"What do you mean?"

"I am probably one of her best friends in this town, but we don't really talk during the winter. With the exception of Mark and Cristina, she doesn't really talk to any of her summer friends during the winter. And even then, they don't talk much. For her to call you says a lot. That's all I'm saying. When she comes home, you'll be the first to know."

Arizona smiled shyly. She had no idea what to say. "Thanks I guess."

"No problem," Liz replied as she walked back to the back room.

* * *

Callie waited on the tarmac of the ridiculously small Plymouth airport runway. Right before she boarded her flight, she had made sure to text Arizona. She knew it was a long shot thinking Arizona would be able to pick her up, but Callie was hopeful nevertheless. Her eyes peered over the rolling green that made up the field separating the runway and tarmac from U.S. 31 on the other side. Callie hated this airport. It wasn't even an airport, just a patch of grass with a runway, a control tower, and a hanger type thing. The only reason she even flew in here was because she didn't want to be two hours away in Indianapolis or Chicago. So she bypassed that mess by taking her father's jet and landing in Plymouth. All Callie wanted was to curl up in her bed and watch a movie. Well, after she spent some time with Arizona.

The blonde had occupied Callie's thoughts from the moment she left Culver. She was so caring and sweet to Callie and it simply made the Latina's heart melt. Their near nightly chats had kept her sane while she tried to deal with people in Miami. Her old high school friends determined the best way for Callie to cope was to take her clubbing. That just wasn't the Latina's idea of a good time anymore. All she wanted was to have her friends be there and support her. Unfortunately that didn't exactly happen, so Callie had reached out to Arizona. Through that, however, Callie had discovered that the blonde was a great friend and even more of a beautiful person than she had anticipated.

Callie loved her father with every fiber of her being, but she couldn't stop herself from longing for Arizona. She had missed her smile, the gentle bounce of her curls, the twinkling blue of her eyes. Arizona made her feel safe, and Callie longed for that emotional connection. She kept telling herself that what she longed for was friendship, but Callie knew she was kidding herself. But she didn't know if she could ever act on the feelings blooming inside of her because her father clearly disapproved. When Callie's father found out she was dating Taylor, he threatened to cut her off unless she ended it immediately. So she had.

Callie couldn't do that with Arizona; it would break her. Callie didn't know if Arizona felt anything, but she did have a sneaking suspicion. Arizona was leaving for medical school in only a couple of months, so Callie doubted she wanted anything serious, but at this point in her life Callie didn't want anything serious either. She just loved the feeling of having Arizona around and that's what she truly wanted.

Callie smiled as she saw her familiar Mercedes SUV round the corner. The sight of the car made her smile. If Mark had driven, he would have taken his own BMW and not Callie's Benz. Sure enough, Callie saw Arizona's blonde hair through the windshield and her heart soared.

Arizona parked the car, nearly throwing her body out the door from her excitement to see Callie. A huge smile manifested across Callie's lips at the sight of Arizona's blonde curls bouncing as she approached the brunette. Arizona all but threw herself into Callie's arms, allowing the Latina's strawberry scent to completely enrapture her senses. Callie's hand traveled up Arizona's back and buried itself in her soft curls. She allowed herself to breathe in the smell that was uniquely Arizona as she marveled at the way the blonde's body seemed to mold perfectly into her own. "Hey," Callie whispered against Arizona's hair.

Arizona nuzzled her cheek against Callie's shoulder. It was the first time they were actually close to one another physically. Sure, Arizona hugged the brunette in the kitchen that one day, but that was about comfort. This was…something else. Arizona was sure Callie felt it too and as she tipped her head to look into Callie's brown eyes, that feeling was only reinforced. "Hi."

"I missed you."

"I missed you too," Arizona replied.

As much as it pained her, Callie stepped back from the embrace. "We should head back."

Arizona nodded and followed Callie to the car. She was surprised as Callie gently took her hand, intertwining their fingers. Callie opened the door for her and helped Arizona up into the passenger seat before running around the hood and climbing into the driver's side. Soon, they were headed back down 17 towards Culver. Plymouth was only fifteen minutes away, but Callie didn't want the ride to be over that soon. "So," She said, turning her head towards Arizona, "when do you have to be back?"

Arizona smiled. "Well Lexie is covering cabin games for me and I don't have duty tonight, so by my one o'clock curfew."

Callie smiled wryly before turning off the main road. She snaked them through the Indiana back roads, the corn and bean fields whizzing by the windows. Barns and farm houses dotted the countryside and the sky turned pink and orange with the beginnings of a beautiful sunset. Once again, Callie took Arizona's hand, smirking as a smile tugged at the blonde's lips.

After a half hour of weaving through the countryside, Callie finally brought them back to Culver. She parked the car at Woodcraft, ignoring the confused look on Arizona's face. "Come on," Callie said simply, while walking away from the car towards the woods. Arizona jogged to catch up, catching Callie's hand. She took them back on the wooded path that Arizona knew led to the council fire ring. The place was known as the bird sanctuary and the whole area was owned by Culver.

The trees completely surrounded them, leaving the two women in near darkness as the sun set. Arizona wondered at the way Callie seemed to know this place. She knew the Torres family had been coming to Culver for years, but she didn't realize how intimately Callie knew the town and surrounding area. Most summer people didn't know anything from what Arizona understood. A lot of the counselors with whom Arizona worked had spent multiple summers in the small town, but she knew they had no idea when it came to navigating the area, nor did they really care to learn past what they could see from the windows of their overpriced condos.

Their fingers still entwined, Callie led them off the path and deeper into the woods. When they emerged, Arizona gasped. They were in the large pasture that bordered the entrances to Culver. There must have been a hundred horses out there, grazing and eating. "Callie," Arizona murmured in wonder.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

Arizona nodded. "You know a lot about this place Callie."

"I've been coming here awhile," Callie replied with a nervous laugh.

Arizona turned and stared into Callie's intoxicating eyes. "You know that doesn't mean anything."

A sad look crossed Callie's features. "My father and I spent a lot of time together out on the back roads. We would go on bike rides and drive around to different places. He always wanted us, my sister and I, to get to know this place. Once he visited, he loved it, so he just wanted to share that with us. I just find driving around the country soothing, so I tend to do it a lot…especially lately," Callie trailed off, a tear escaping down her cheek. Arizona reached up and wiped it away, smiling sadly at Callie. Callie took a deep breath and continued. "I was supposed to go to Princeton, but I found out my father had been diagnosed with stage 2 lung cancer. He said it wasn't necessary, but I wasn't going to just up and leave. So I stayed in Florida, but a few hours away at UF. His cancer was in remission by the end of last year, but I didn't feel like transferring. Then, this May the cancer returned only this time it was through his pancreas. The silent killer," Callie murmured. "He has six months and I'm spending three of them here. I know he wants it that way and to be quite honest, I want to be here too, but that only makes the guilt worse. Plus to top it off, I'm…"

"You're what Callie?"

"I'm feeling things, Arizona. Things I know he wouldn't approve of and it just kills me and it eats me up inside."

"What sort of things?"

Callie turned and faced the blonde, tears still running down her cheeks. "All sorts of things."

Arizona leaned in and kissed Callie softly on the cheek. "Ditto."

Callie beamed. "Hey," she said as her stomach growled, "you wanna get some food? You can make up that breakfast you owe me."

"Sure," Arizona replied, her smile matching Callie's.

After Callie led them back to the car, they drove into town and ate at the Edgewater. Arizona discovered it was one of Callie's favorite places in town. Arizona decided to order just some simple chicken strips, while Callie ordered a taco quesadilla. They sat comfortably across from one another making nice conversation and nibbling on their food.

"So," Callie said as she cut a bite of her quesadilla, "are you named after the state or what?"

Arizona coughed as she stifled a chuckle. "Um no actually, contrary to popular belief. I was named after a battleship, the USS Arizona. My grandfather served on that ship during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. He saved 19 men before he drowned and everything my father has done in his life has been about honoring that sacrifice. So definitely not the state."

"That's really cool, Arizona."

The blonde smiled. "Thanks, but what about you? What is Callie short for?"

Callie shook her head. "I can't believe I'm going to tell you this, but my first name is Calliope."

"Calliope," Arizona said slowly, "I like it."

"I like the way you say it," Callie returned.

The rest of the meal passed comfortably. Arizona frowned as Callie stole the bill and paid. The brunette wouldn't even let Arizona pay her half. It didn't help ease her anxiety about their impromptu "date" at all. She had a wonderful time, and was relatively certain Callie had feelings for her, but she didn't know what any of it meant.

They drove in a slightly awkward silence back to Woodcraft. Callie parked, once again, down by the creek. She let Arizona out of the car, standing a respectable distance apart. "I had fun today Arizona. Thanks for picking me up."

"Anytime, Calliope."

Callie could feel herself inching towards Arizona, the distance closing quickly. "We should hang out again soon."

Arizona nodded, finding herself staring at the Latina's full lips. "Yeah, we should."

The distance between the two women began to close even further. Callie could feel Arizona's breath against her lips, her heart beat quicken, and her arm muscles tighten as Callie traced her fingertips up them. Their lips brushed together hesitantly, each touch send jolts of electricity through their bodies. Callie wrapped her arms around Arizona, deepening the kiss. Her tongue slid against the blonde's, making her body quiver with want. Arizona felt herself melt into Callie, allowing the pleasurable feelings to wash over her body.

Callie pulled away slowly, gently peeling her lips from Arizona's. "Wow," She breathed.

"Yeah," Arizona echoed.

"I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Definitely."

"Good night Arizona."

"Good night, Calliope."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Ok I know I haven't updated here in awhile. I'm terribly sorry about that. To make up for it though, I'm putting up two chapters :). In the future, if you can't stand the wait, check out the Calzona Board over at .com. It's a great community and where I write primarily. Anyway...this is a short chapter, but you can't hate me because there's a massive one right on it's tail :) Thanks for reading and the reviews...I love reading them and replying so you know that I appreciate you taking the time to not only read, but letting me know what you thought. Thank you so much. And as always...

Happy Reading,

~KB~

* * *

Callie drove the short distance to her house, her mind completely spinning. That kiss, that perfect kiss, had totally rocked her world. Callie had never experienced a moment like that with anyone. Every touch, every feeling, seemed to be magnified as Arizona's lips touched her own. Callie subconsciously touched her lips, reveling in the way they still seemed to tingle from the gentle caresses of Arizona's tongue. They had only been separated for a few minutes, but already Callie ached for her presence.

As she parked her car, Callie pulled out her phone just in case someone had texted her. Sure enough she had a message from none other than Arizona. Callie's heart soared as she opened it.

_Missing you already. Are you sure you can't just move into my cabin with me?_

Callie smiled before quickly texting her back.

_I think we might scar the children ;). Besides…it's all about the anticipation._

Callie opened the door to her house, loving that she never really had to lock the place. Burglaries just didn't happen here. It was one of the many nuances of Culver that made Callie fall in love with this town. She saw Mark approaching her from the living room. She was about to say something when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, so she held up a finger to Mark, signaling that he should give her a moment.

Flipping open her phone, Callie couldn't contain the smile that adorned her features.

_Scarring? Exactly where is your dirty mind, Calliope Torres?_

Callie smirked in reaction to the text, a look not going unnoticed by Mark.

_That's for you to find out later…say tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at 9:30._

With that, Callie closed her phone and returned it to her pocket. Her eyes locked with Mark's and he raised his eyebrows questioningly. "What's with all the smiles and smirks, Torres?"

Callie rolled her eyes. "You know Mark, I just walked in the door after being gone for a week. I was at least hoping for a hug before you started to grill me."

Mark smirked. "Of course," he replied, enveloping Callie into a strong hug. "How was your flight?"

"It was fine. Uneventful."

Mark crossed his arms, eyeing Callie suspiciously. "How'd you get back? You hire a car?"

Callie shifted nervously. "IcalledArizona."

"The blonde girl who showed up here last week?"

"Mark…" Callie said in a warning tone.

"I just don't get it Cal."

"What is there to get? I asked her to pick me up. We hung out for a couple of hours. So what?"

Mark's jaw tensed. "I just don't think now is the time for you to be experimenting or becoming emotionally attached. It's not fair to either one of you."

"Thank you for your concern, Mark," Callie said tensely, "But frankly it isn't your business."

Mark reached out to Callie, surprised when Callie pulled away. "Callie, I'm just trying to help. I'm trying to do my job as your friend."

"You want to be my friend Mark? Look at me! Do you think I wanted this to happen? Do you think I want to feel this way?"

Mark tried to step forward. "Cal…I…"

"No Mark," Callie interrupted, "just don't. Don't lecture me. Don't act as if I'm being insensitive. Just don't! You have no idea what I am going through, no idea what I'm feeling. Just get out; go back to your house. I'll talk to you later."

"Callie…"

"Leave Mark."

Mark slunk out the patio door and back to his house. Callie ran a hand through her raven locks, suddenly feeling suffocated in her gigantic house. Callie glanced at the clock; it was only 10:30. She grabbed her keys and headed for her car. Callie sped down the road towards Woodcraft. She parked along the fence by Cardinal Creek as usual. After closing her door, Callie headed up to Arizona's cabin. The wooded campus was virtually silent. Callie figured all the kids were asleep or at least in their beds. She quietly slid in the back door and moved through the bunk room. The door to Arizona and Lexie's private room was closed, so Callie knocked gently.

"Come in," Callie heard Arizona say.

Callie pushed open the door. Arizona sat on her bottom bunk reading a book. The girl whom Callie assumed was Lexie laid on the top bunk with her phone in hand. The smile that once decorated Arizona's delicate features, fled once she saw Callie's tear streaked face. "Lexie," Arizona said, standing from her bed, "I'm going on a walk. I'll be back later."

"Ok," Lexie replied.

Arizona took Callie's hand, pulled her out the door, and continued outside to the crisp summer air. Arizona led them across the large field that separated the boys' cabins from the girls' cabins. A gigantic weeping willow stood next to the camp bell. Arizona led them under the tree, motioning for the Latina to sit on the rock. Arizona joined her, softly curling an arm around the other woman's back and drawing small, comforting circles with her fingertips. "So Calliope," Arizona began, her voice barely above a whisper, "what brings you out here?"

"I got into a fight with Mark."

Arizona sighed. She was beginning to not like him. "About what?"

"You," Callie answered honestly.

Arizona's eyes widened in shock. "I'm not sure how to respond to that."

Callie placed a hand on the blonde's knee. "He basically told me that I shouldn't get emotionally attached to you and now wasn't the time for me to be experimenting."

Arizona swallowed. "What do you think?"

"I think," Callie paused and took a deep breath, "I think that you're the only person keeping me sane right now."

"What about the experimenting?"

"Are you asking me if you're an experiment?"

Arizona nodded. "Basically…yes."

Callie brushed a strand of hair from the blonde's face. "You're a breath of fresh air, Arizona. I know I don't have that much experience when it comes to dating women and if that is a deal breaker for you, then we can be friends."

"It's not a deal breaker, Calliope."

"I just…I don't know what we're doing or where we're going. All I know is that I need a person right now, and I desperately want that person to be you."

Arizona smiled. "I want to be that person Calliope. And as for where we're going, I don't know the answer to that question." Arizona nervously bit her lip. "Can I be honest?"

"Of course."

"I don't believe in long distance relationships and maybe that's selfish. I just want us to be on the same page. You need someone to be there for you and I am more than willing to be that person, but I go to Harvard in a couple of months."

"I know," Callie said, looking down at the grass.

Arizona sighed and leaned against the trunk of the tree. "God, this just became really depressing. I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be helping you, not being all blah."

Callie placed a hand on Arizona's cheek, turning her so she faced the Latina. "I like to know where I stand, Arizona. This is fine, good even."

"So we're ok?"

Callie smirked before taking Arizona's lips between hers. They moved against each other with expert precision. Arizona slipped her tongue passed Callie's lips, softly probing and tasting her mouth. Callie's hands combed through Arizona's hair as she deepened the kiss. She felt the blonde's hands caress her thighs. Callie swallowed a moan as Arizona nibbled on her bottom lip. Callie tore her lips away, panting.

"Everything ok?" Arizona asked, her breaths coming in short pants as well.

Callie smiled. "More than ok."

Arizona stood up, pulling Callie with her. "I need to get back to my cabin. You know, watch the tiny humans and all."

"Ok," Callie replied. She pulled Arizona close, dropping a lingering kiss on her lips. "I'll see you tomorrow night. 9:30 still ok?"

"I'm not sure if I want to wait that long, but yeah it'll work. What are we doing?"

"It's a surprise," Callie murmured.

"Ok I'm going to go now," Arizona said, but her lips still inched closer to Callie's.

"You do that," Callie replied before once again brushing her lips against Arizona's soft ones. The stood there for another couple of minutes, their bodies wrapped together and lips and tongues dancing. Finally, Arizona pulled away and dashed back across the field before she could lose herself in Callie's embrace once again. Callie shook her head, beaming as she walked back to her car, the beautiful blonde never leaving her mind.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I worked really hard on this update and I hope you all enjoy it. It's long, and jam packed full of stuff...as promised. I will continue to try and update as much as possible and I really am sorry for the long wait between updates. Time just got away from me. I hope you will stick with me to the end, because we still have a wild ride ahead of us, but it'll be worth it...I think ;)

So I want to dedicate this to basically my girls over on the Calzona Board. But a special shout out to Nemo for putting up with my mood swings and always giving me good advice. Also to Bree, because you are awesome. And of course to my wonderful support system…Alleon.

As always…Happy Reading,

~KB~

* * *

"Birdie birdie in the sky!" the wing leader shouted behind her to the platoon of young girls.

"Birdie birdie in the sky!" the fifty-something chorus of girls echoed.

"Why'd you do that in my eye?"

"Why'd you do that in my eye?"

"Looks like water; tastes like spit."

"Looks like water; tastes like spit."

"Oh my God it's birdie…sound off"

"1, 2."

"Hit it again," the leader continued in a sing song voice.

"3,4"

"Bring it on down now!"

"1,2,3,4, 1, 2…..3,4!"

"Girls!" the head councilor, Major Gee, admonished. "Let's keep it clean."

Arizona had to laugh. The B2 girls loved the more dirty cadences as they marched around the campus. "It was censored!" one of the older girls shouted. Major Gee simply rolled her eyes. She knew it was funny too. The cadences were just part of everyday life at Woodcraft. The kids marched everywhere they went as a unit. They were heading down for free swim, where the girls swam in marked areas of the lake, supervised by lifeguards. Arizona smiled, remembering how the kids always tried to get their counselors in the water. She figured, she'd be coaxed to jump off the high dive a couple of times.

"I left!" The wing leader shouted.

"I left!" the girls echoed, including Arizona. This was one of her favorites. "I left my wife with 48 children in starving condition with only one jelly bean left. Left. You think it was right? Right? Turn it around and," everyone jumped and spun in the air, "whoopdi-do."

The other counselors stared at the blonde. They apparently found it hilarious that Arizona so frequently participated in the cadences. In Arizona's opinion, however, participating with the girls was part of the job and most of the fun. It never ceased to amaze her how excited the girls become over little things like cadences and free swims. It made Arizona's job that much easier. Sure, it was exhausting at times, but she was having the time of her life this summer. Of course, a certain raven haired Latina also contributed to that fact.

The butterfly unit marched through the tunnel that led under the road, screaming and causing echoes as they went. The wing leader, Stacy, brought the girls to a halt on the gravel path. The counselors released the pack of girls, allowing them to run down the path to the pier. Chuckling, Arizona followed close behind. She hoped Teddy ended up over here today. Usually she was at Upper Camp, but occasionally she had made appearances at Woodcraft free swims and swim meets.

Lately, those random moments were the only ones she had seen Teddy. While Calliope had been in Florida, Arizona picked up extra duties so she wouldn't have to think about the Latina's absence as much (though that plan failed miserably). Her return had instantly pulled the blonde out of her funk, and she realized exactly how much she missed Teddy.

As she reached the pier, Arizona smiled. Teddy actually was working over here today. She wore her standard red, one-piece suit. Teddy raised her arm, waving Arizona over to her. The blonde signaled to give her a second before she peeled her sky blue t-shirt over her head, revealing a deep blue Speedo swimsuit. Arizona found it humorous that in addition to the female campers being required to wear one-piece swimsuits, counselors did as well. She didn't particularly mind, especially since it was probably in everyone's best interest not to have the barely pubescent thirteen year old boys ogling her body. She'd deal with the tan lines, or better yet, she could tan in her bikini at Calliope's. She definitely liked the sound of that.

After dropping her shirt on the pier, Arizona headed over to where Teddy stood. "Hey!" Arizona called out to the other woman. "Long time no see."

Teddy wrapped her arms around the blonde's body, pulling her into a friendly embrace. "I wonder whose fault that is Arizona," she playfully replied.

Arizona cringed and frowned. "I know. I was…not in a good place."

"So you were moping."

Arizona shook her head. "I wasn't moping."

"So then what would you call it?"

"Um," Arizona paused¸ "ok, I was moping."

Teddy shrugged. "At least you admit it. Speaking of which, what is going on with you and Callie?"

"I'm not sure how that was a decent connection, but whatever. If you must know, Calliope and I…"

"Wait," Teddy interrupted, "did you just say Calliope? She lets you call her that?"

Arizona nodded. "Yes."

Teddy shrugged and smiled. "Continue please."

"There isn't really much to say. Neither of us are really looking for anything serious at the moment."

"So there's something?"

Arizona rolled her eyes. "Of course there's something Teddy. We're just…I don't know, enjoying the summer together."

Teddy leaned in close. "So did you kiss her?"

Arizona could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks. "Maybe."

"The blush says it all," Teddy replied with a smile.

"Lt. Robbins," a girl said from behind Arizona, "will you come swim with us?"

Arizona nodded to the girl before returning her gaze to Teddy. "Duty calls."

"I can see that," Teddy said. "Just make sure you say bye before you leave."

"Definitely."

Teddy watched as Arizona walked hand in hand with the girl. She was floored at how easily Arizona embraced her job. The kids seemed to love her and why wouldn't they? She always played with them, participating in the games, cadences, and other events. Plus, she seemed to enjoy it. Too often, counselors forget that they are there to serve the kids and make Culver a great experience for them. Arizona more than embraced that part of her job and Teddy admired her for that. She hoped the "thing" or whatever it was worked out, because well, Teddy really liked having the blonde around. She was fun and such a stark contrast to Addison and Cristina.

Teddy hated free swim. It was so boring. By the end, she was always hot and sticky. It was not her idea of a good time. Everyone else, however, seemed to be having a great time. That was almost enough for Teddy. She jumped as one of the counselors sounded a horn, signaling the end of free swim. Arizona came over and gave Teddy a wet hug goodbye.

After everyone left, she let out a sigh. At least no one had drowned, so mission accomplished. She grabbed her stuff and walked back along the lakefront to her car. She decided she would head over to Callie's because she hadn't seen her since she returned from Florida. She pulled into the driveway less than fifteen minutes later. She hesitantly knocked on the door, unsure if Callie was even home. She peaked through the window of the garage, seeing her car there, so Teddy went around the back to see if the brunette was on the patio or pier. She was encouraged by the sound of music floating from the back area. Sure enough, Callie, Addison, and Cristina were all lounging on the patio.

"Hey guys!" Teddy called.

"Teddy!" The three women shouted excitedly.

"What's up?"

"You know, we're working really hard. Working up a sweat and stuff," Addison answered with a smirk.

Teddy flopped on a chair next to them and turned to face Callie. "Arizona says hi by the way."

Callie smiled and blushed. "Thanks."

"Who is Arizona?" Cristina asked, obviously confused.

"Oh!" Addison exclaimed. "That blonde from the party last week right?"

Callie nodded. "That would be her."

"Yeah, she and _Calliope_ here are pretty tight," Teddy said, nudging Callie playfully in the ribs.

Cristina almost spit the water she was drinking all over the other women. "She calls her Calliope?"

"Shit," Callie cursed under her breath.

"You speaking the vagina monologues now Cal?" Addison quipped. At that, everyone burst into laughter. Addison suddenly stopped and glared. "But seriously."

Callie opened her mouth to say something, but Teddy interjected. "They kissed."

Cristina shrugged. "Callie's kissed girls before."

"Yeah," Callie agreed, "I've kissed girls before."

Teddy glared at Callie, knowing damn well that her thing with Arizona was different. "So it was just an innocent kiss then Callie?" Seeing Callie's face turn crimson, Teddy chuckled. "Your blush says it all _Calliope_."

Callie glared at Teddy, flipping her the bird. Addison picked up a cracker that was laying on the table and threw it at Callie, hitting her square in the face. "Ok. Spill."

Callie shrugged. "There isn't much to tell. I'm here, she's here, so we're having fun together."

"Funny," Teddy smirked, "that's almost exactly what Arizona said, and I'm not buying it for a second."

"So what happened Cal?"

"Yeah Callie what happened?"

"Come on Callie."

"Just tell us."

"Fine!" Callie screamed, unable to take the heckling any longer. "We made out ok!"

"Who made out?" Derek suddenly asked as he and Meredith walked down the pier after tying up their boat.

"Callie and Arizona," Cristina replied.

"The hot blonde from the party?" Derek asked, his question earning him a punch from Meredith.

"That would be the one," Addison answered.

"Way to go Torres!" Derek said.

"Please tell me we aren't talking about Blondie," Mark said as he joined the impromptu gathering.

"Shut it Sloan," Callie scolded. "No one asked your opinion."

"So," Cristina said awkwardly, "who wants to take the boat out?"

"I'll drive," Callie said lamely. She pushed herself out of the chair and scoffed to her boat. While they waited for Callie to lower her boat from the slip, Addison smacked Mark on the arm and shot him a warning glance. He just rolled his eyes and walked down the pier towards the boat. After Callie had backed the boat out to the end of her pier, the crew piled on. Callie pushed down the accelerator, speeding them out across the water.

For the next couple of hours, they slowly cruised around the ten mile lake, sipping on sodas and chatting. They all made sure to avoid the apparently touchy subject that was Arizona. As they passed their friends' houses, their friends' houses, they made sure to wave, sometimes stopping by to chat for a bit. It was such a beautiful afternoon, and Callie was thrilled to be able to share it with her friends. She hoped it was this nice tonight, so she and Arizona could have an enjoyable time outside as well. Once the sun began to set, Callie steered them back towards the east shore and her house. She dropped them off at the end of the pier before maneuvering the boat back into the slip.

The group gathered on the patio, talking amongst themselves. When Callie approached them, Addison turned towards her. "Hey Cal?" Addison asked. "You up for a bonfire tonight?"

Callie frowned. "How about tomorrow or the day after? I have plans tonight."

Cristina arched an eyebrow. "You have plans that don't include any of us?"

"I have other friends you know," Callie said, quickly defending herself.

"You have Liz, who we still haven't met by the way, but that's not the point," Cristina retorted. "What are you doing then?"

Callie blushed. "Arizona is coming over."

"Of course," Mark scoffed.

"What the hell is your problem, Mark?" Callie yelled.

"You know exactly what my problem is. What are you doing?"

"Mark, give it a rest." Addison reproached. "She's allowed to have fun. It doesn't matter if Arizona is a girl."

Mark wheeled on Addison. "You think it's about that? It has nothing to do with that."

"So then what _is _your problem?"

"You shouldn't be doing this Callie…not with everything that's happening. It's not going to end well."

Callie's blood boiled. "Mark, get your ass inside my house right now." Mark stalked off through the patio doors and into the living room with Callie in tow. Just as he turned around to say something, Callie smacked him straight across the face. "Don't you ever start shit like that ever again!"

Mark's eyes widened in shock before a frown of realization fell on his face. "They don't know do they?"

Callie shook her head. "No they don't."

"Callie…you have to deal with this. You can't keep it bottled up inside and make out with some girl you don't know. You did that shit already, and I'm not going there again. I don't want that phone call."

"I told Arizona about the fight we had last night."

Mark pressed his fingers to his temples. "I don't see how that is relevant."

"I told her what you said, and she just flat out asked me about what I thought…what I was thinking. You passed judgment; you just assumed you knew what was happening in my head. If you had bothered to really talk to me about it, maybe you would have realized that I'm not running from my father's illness."

"Then what _are _you doing?"

"I'm dealing with it!" Callie shouted, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "My father is dying Mark. He may not even make it through the summer. And you're acting like that doesn't affect me. I've spent ten summers here with that man. My strong, bull headed father is frail and weak. His final gift to me is this summer. He made me get on the plane to come back. I feel the pain of his life dwindling every day. Every fucking day. But then, this pretty blonde caught me dancing in my underwear and for a moment my pain went away. She makes me feel better. Can you fault me for that? I just want to feel better."

At this point Callie was truly crying. Mark enveloped her in his arms and let her cry. "I'm so sorry Callie," he murmured against her hair. "I was an ass."

"It's ok," Callie blubbered. "You were just trying to make sure I wasn't doing anything stupid."

"So¸ what are you doing for this date?"

Callie smiled. "Candles…lots of candles."

Mark laughed. "Come on, I'll help you out."

He took her hand and led them back out onto the patio where their friends still stood in a group. "Everything ok?" Addison asked.

Callie nodded. "It'll be fine."

"Callie…" Cristina started.

"Did you hear?"

"Yes, " Addison answered for the group. "Cal.."

"Pancreatic cancer," Callie interrupted. "We can hug and talk about it later. Not now." They all nodded in understanding.

"Ok Torres," Mark said excitedly, "tell us what you need for this date."

Callie laughed and detailed her plan. For the next half hour, they set up the patio and the pier. Callie had Mark and Derek grab the water trampoline from the garage and put it in the water. They were finished with fifteen minutes to spare. Callie shooed them all away and went to her car, so she could pick up Arizona. She was giddy with excitement. She and Arizona had been texting throughout the day, but Callie made a point not to go out to Woodcraft to see her today. She wanted the anticipation to build.

As she approached the familiar camp, Callie could see the outline of the blonde sitting on the railing of the Cardinal Creek Bridge. Callie pulled in to the gravel parking area and got out of the car. Upon seeing the Latina, Arizona rushed off the bridge. Callie smiled as she allowed herself to virtually be tackled. Arizona crashed into her arms, propelling them backwards. Callie laughed as they nearly fell onto the gravel, but she managed to maintain their balance.

"Hello to you too," Callie said with a chuckle.

Arizona tilted her head in that adorable way Callie loved. She stared into Callie's eyes and flashed her a trademark dimpled smile. Callie found herself longing to taste Arizona's lips. Her throat became dry and she swallowed uncomfortably. As if reading her mind, Arizona pulled the Latina down for a tender kiss. As she pulled her lips away from Callie's, Arizona whispered, "Now that is a hello."

Callie laughed and dropped a quick kiss on Arizona's forehead. "Come on; let's get you to my place."

Callie drove them back to her house, parking in the driveway. After they exited her car, Callie grabbed Arizona's hand, pulling her towards the back instead of going into the house. They walked on the soft grass in a comfortable silence. As they turned the corner, Arizona gasped. The entire patio was covered with candles and the pier was also lined with them. The area flickered in the darkening night sky. Arizona squeezed Callie's hand as she took in the scene before her. "Calliope," she said breathily, "this is beautiful."

Callie smiled and kissed Arizona on the cheek. "I just wanted to make you smile."

"Well mission definitely accomplished," Arizona giggled.

Callie pulled her towards the patio table. "Stay right here," Callie said before as she dashed into the house. She returned with a large ice cream sundae with two spoons. Once again, Callie grabbed the blonde's hand. She led them down the candle lit pier. "Hold this," Callie said, giving Arizona the sundae. She pulled her shirt over her head before sliding her shorts down her legs, revealing a black bikini. Arizona's eyes bugged out of her head at the sight of Callie nearly naked in front of her. Callie smirked as she caught Arizona staring. She took back the ice cream. "Your turn Arizona. You remembered your suit right?"

Arizona nodded and quickly stripped down to her suit. She was wearing a deep blue bikini (almost the same color as her one-piece) thankful that she had packed it, despite Culver regulations. Now it was Arizona's turn to smirk as Callie was obviously staring at her body. She descended the stairs into the warm lake water, motioning for Arizona to follow her. "Where are we going?"

"Just trust me Arizona." With her free hand…Callie took her to the floating trampoline, a few yards from the pier. She helped Arizona up the small ladder and handed her the sundae. Then, Callie joined her on top of the floating surface. She sat cross legged across from Arizona. Soon, the candles back on the pier began to go out. Mark had agreed to put them all out once they were on the tramp. Surrounded by darkness, except for the natural moonlight, they shared the sundae Callie had brought. Callie relished in this moment. The moon was full and bright, casting the most gorgeous light against Arizona's skin and it was driving Callie crazy.

Once they were finished, Callie reached behind Arizona and placed the empty glass in a box her father had attached to the tramp a number of years ago. Arizona's breath hitched as she realized how close Callie was at that moment. Their lips were almost touching and both women could feel the other's breath. Callie's forehead rested against Arizona's. "I have to tell you something," Callie whispered, her lips lightly brushing Arizona's.

Arizona struggled to maintain her composure. Callie this close was killing her. "Ok."

"I'm really happy you came tonight."

Arizona nodded. "Me too."

"Um I also wanted to tell you," Callie began, her fingers lightly trailing up her bare thighs, "that you're absolutely stunning." Arizona smiled at Callie's bold remark. Callie blushed. "I know it's cheesy, but I was thinking about it and I wanted you to know that."

Arizona reached up and lightly caressed Callie's cheek. "I like cheesy."

"I like you."

"I like you too," Arizona replied, finally closing the gap between them. Her lips melded into Callie's eliciting groans of appreciation from both women. Arizona pushed them back so that she was on top of the Latina. Their bare skin burned with excitement as they continued to kiss. Arizona rubbed her naked legs against Callie's, enjoying the feel of their skin being in contact. Callie's tongue darted into Arizona's mouth as her hands trailed down her back. Craving oxygen, Arizona pulled back. "Wow," she said while trying to catch her breath. "I could get used to this."

"Me too," Callie replied, renewing the kiss. She pulled Arizona back on top of her as they continued to kiss in the moonlight.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks again to all those who have been taking time to review. I hope you found my comments to be….idk…funny…rewarding? Something other than boring I suppose. Here's the next chapter.

Happy Reading,

~KB~

* * *

Callie woke up to the sun warmly caressing her skin through her window. She arched her back and tightened her muscles in a morning stretch. She grinned, remembering the time she spent with Arizona last night. They had kissed for hours under the moon, their bodies close and grinding against each other. It had taken everything Callie had to not let it escalate further. No matter how much she might have wanted it, she wasn't ready and she thought Arizona agreed considering she didn't seem to push the envelope.

As much as it pained her to be away from her family, Callie was happy that her parents had this time alone together. Callie knew her father loved her, but he and her mother deserved to spend some of his last days without interruption from anyone, including their children. That reminded Callie; Aria was coming up today and spending the remaining portion of her summer with Callie in Culver.

Aria and Callie weren't very much alike at all, except that they were both extremely outgoing. Callie had always been driven academically, pursuing ambitions of being a doctor and challenging herself in the classroom. Aria, however, didn't follow the same path. While being intelligent herself, she chose to focus more on her social life than her studies in high school. It wasn't like Callie didn't have friends because she obviously did. She and Aria just had different priorities, and that was ok. They were different, and those differences occasionally strained their relationship. Callie, never the less, was happy Aria was going to spend some time up here.

After getting out of bed, Callie quickly took a shower and threw on her suit. She slid on a pair of short denim shorts over her bottoms before putting on a white tank. Heading to the kitchen, she passed the room in which Cristina was staying. She stopped briefly and poked her head in the door to find her Korean friend still sleeping and lightly snoring against the soft pillows of her bed. Callie figured she probably wouldn't be up for another hour, so she continued towards the kitchen to make some breakfast. As she reached into the fridge for some eggs, Callie decided to make some for Cristina as well. She scrambled four eggs, throwing in some cheese and onions, two of her favorite things. After pouring herself a glass of orange juice, Callie took her plate of eggs out to the patio. She went back into the house briefly, so she could grab the book she had been reading over the course of the week. It was once of James Patterson's books. Callie loved it because it was quick, fun, and would occasionally throw her for a loop.

Callie returned to her table, book in hand. She relaxed against the cool metal of the chair, flipping open the book as she sipped on her juice. The morning was perfect for the Latina. The sky was blue and the sun shining. She loved the feeling of the sun bathing over her skin as the morning breeze blew threw her hair. As she read her book and ate her breakfast, Callie reveled in the feeling of the cool, morning air tickling her toes. Her patio was heated, but Callie often left it off – even in the mornings – so she could enjoy the feeling of her toes warming up in the sunlight as the morning passed by.

The brunette glanced at her watch. It was only 8:30, so Callie didn't expect to see Cristina for at least an hour. Imagine her surprise when Callie saw her friend's crazy, untamed morning curls flash in front of her face. Callie smirked as Cristina plopped herself into a chair across from the Latina, quickly shoveling a bite of eggs into her mouth. Callie set her book on the table, struggling to stifle a laugh at Cristina's disheveled appearance. "Good morning sleeping beauty. Usually you're still dead to the world. What has you up this early?"

"You poking your head in my room and staring at me," Cristina returned with a grunt. "Stalker." Callie couldn't contain herself any longer, bursting into a fit of laughter. Cristina continued to frown as she ate her eggs. "This isn't funny. I'm upset."

"Oh Cristina," Callie said, "you're always upset." Callie's laughter finally subsided as she and Cristina fell into a comfortable silence. Callie resumed reading her book and Cristina ate her eggs. The pair had spent many a morning like the one they shared now. Cristina started to stay with Callie in the summers after her parents had sold their property a few years ago. Cristina liked to pretend she didn't care that much for Callie, but the Latina knew better. Sure, Meredith was Cristina's "person", her best friend, but she also had a special bond with Callie. Cristina easily could have stayed at Derek's house on South Shore with Meredith, but instead she elected to live with Callie, saying it's was where all the parties were anyway. She still spent a fair amount of time with Meredith at Derek's, but she definitely enjoyed living with Callie, though she'd never admit it.

"So," Cristina began, breaking the silence, "how was your date with Arizona?"

Callie blushed. "Perfect."

Cristina raised her eyebrows. "You guys screw on the tramp?"

"Cristina!" Callie scolded. "That's none of your business."

"So you did then."

Callie sighed. "No, of course we didn't," the Latina answered honestly. "We aren't ready for that."

"Chicken," Cristina retorted playfully.

Callie's eyes narrowed. "I am not a chicken."

"So," Cristina leaned in with curiosity, "you aren't afraid to…you know?"

Callie rolled her eyes. "We are so done talking about this."

"Fine. What are you doing today?"

Callie shrugged. "I was thinking maybe we could have a water day. You guys can swim while I take people out tubing. Then maybe a bonfire tonight?"

"I'm liking the sound of this," Cristina said with a nod. "Are we talking little bonfire like the failed attempt last time, or massive blowout?"

Callie smirked. "Massive blowout."

"YES!" Cristina exclaimed. "I will text all the necessary people."

"Since when do you get all excited about people? Usually Mark is the girly one who hops on his phone."

"Oh shut up," Cristina replied. "I'm going to go over to Mer's and drag her sorry ass out of bed."

"Ok," Callie answered, propping her feet up on the chair next to her before returning to her book. She enjoyed the sounds of the lake lapping at the shore as she flipped through the pages. After a couple of hours, Callie had finished, her heart still racing from the excitement of the last few pages. She was startled by her phone vibrating against the table. Smiling, Callie picked it up and hoped it was a certain blonde.

_Good morning Calliope. Just thinking of you and wanted to send a quick note. What are you up to today? Do you have any plans tonight? I miss you. _

Still smiling Callie typed quickly.

_Hey! I miss you too. And today, I think we're just going to spend some time on the water. You know, swimming and tubing. Bonfire tonight though. You in?_

Within a few minutes, Callie's phone once again started buzzing.

_Of course I'm in! I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'll come by around 10:00, but it'll probably be sooner because let's face it, I can't wait that long._

Callie felt the butterflies that were becoming so familiar begin to flutter in her stomach.

_Me either. _

Callie put her phone in the pocket of her shorts. She took the breakfast dishes into the kitchen, placing them in the dishwasher. Cristina had left awhile ago, and Callie thought she would have been back with people by now, but she figured Cristina had probably been distracted. Callie turned around and jumped back against the counter, surprised to see Mark in the doorway. "Shit Mark! You scared me."

"Sorry, Cal. I just woke up. Cristina flipping called me."

Callie winced. "Oh, I'm sorry about that. She got a little excited this morning."

Mark rubbed his head. "She said something about a party tonight and I had to buy the alcohol or whatever."

"All of that is true, but I would prefer it if we kept the guest list to at least nearly 21s and absolutely no camp counselors except for Arizona of course. Those people are crazy. They do some stupid stuff, and I would rather that not happen at my house."

Mark nodded. "That's fair, I think, but what about Lexie?"

"Meredith's sister or whatever? What about her?"

"Can I invite her?"

Callie thought she detected a faint blush on Mark's cheeks, but if it was there, it disappeared just as quickly. "Fine, but make sure she knows not to invite her little friends. That is so not happening."

Mark smiled and gave Callie a hug. "Happy birthday."

"Suck it Mark."

"So this party isn't a birthday party then?"

"No."

Mark threw his hands up in the air. "But Cal! You're 21!"

"That's not important. What is important," Callie started, but was interrupted by the door slamming and voices carrying through the foyer. "what is important is that we are going tubing right now."

Mark rolled his eyes. "fine, but I'm spotting."

Callie smirked and left the kitchen. "Hey guys!" she greeted the group that had entered the house. Cristina had brought Derek and Meredith, but also Addison and Teddy. "You ready to go tubing?"

"Is that a serious question?" Teddy asked.

"Seriously Cal," Addison said, rolling her eyes, "you really should learn not to ask obvious questions."

"Whatever, just come on," Callie said before heading outside to the patio. She moved down the pier to her slip, lowering the boat gently in the water. "Mark," she called, "grab the tube from the garage please." Mark obliged and rolled the tube down the pier. Callie climbed in her boat and slowly guided it to the end of the pier. She hooked the tube to the rope at the back of the boat. Mark hopped in next to her as Cristina and Meredith scampered down the pier towards them. Callie had a large tube, so they often put more than one person on at a time. The two women hopped on the tube and soon Callie had them speeding off across the lake.

Over the course of the next couple of hours, Callie continued to take them all for a spin on the tube. Mark even relented to her pleas and got on the tube. He instantly regretted it, however, as she dumped him from the tube and sent him skipping across the lake. He was going to feel that for the next couple of days. They even brought out the second, smaller tube. Callie had Meredith on that one, while Cristina was on the bigger one. At one point Cristina hit the wake so hard that she actually ramped Meredith's tube before falling off. Addison was also a good tuber and Callie had to really try to throw her off the tube.

Callie gently pulled the boat back into its slip after she disconnected the tube. She and Mark exited the vessel and he cranked the boat out of the water. Their friends had regrouped on the patio, the girls lounging on the lawn chairs while Derek stood uncomfortably by the patio door. Callie and Mark joined them after a couple of minutes. "Mark," Addison said, her eyes narrowing, "you and Derek are going to go pick up supplies for the party, and drive around the lake to invite people."

"Yes ma'am," Mark replied sarcastically. He and Derek headed across the grass to Mark's house and presumably to his car, leaving the girls to themselves.

"Ahhhh," Addison breathed as she relaxed back into her chair, "now we can have some girl time."

Callie rolled her eyes. "You could have just asked them to leave, Addison. You didn't need to send them on errands."

Addison waved her hand in the air dismissively. "Please, at least this way they're useful."

"She has a point there," Teddy agreed before adding, "Oh and happy birthday Cal."

Callie had been hoping they would all forget, but she knew that wouldn't happen. "Thank you, but let's not make a big deal about it please. Not this year."

Addison squeezed Callie's thigh in understanding. "So is Arizona coming tonight?"

Callie nodded. "That's what she said this morning."

"So you gonna get her on the dance floor?" Teddy asked, playfully nudging Callie.

Callie blushed. "I'm not sure that would be wise."

"Oh please," Cristina said, "You and Blondie will dance the night away. Well, until you find something else to do, that will probably involve a bedroom."

"Cristina!" Addison admonished. "Stop teasing her."

"Fine, but I only speak the truth."

The women all burst into giggles. They relaxed and sipped on their drinks as the basked in the early afternoon sun. They continued to laugh and relax throughout the day, occasionally taking a dip in the lake. "Figures you lazy girls would be out here all day," a voice called from behind them.

"Aria!" Callie called from the water tramp. "You're here!"

"Yes, I am. Just in time for my sister's big birthday bash from what I've been told."

"Callie isn't calling it a birthday bash," Addison whispered. "She isn't really celebrating her birthday, if you get what I'm saying."

Aria nodded sadly. "Yeah. I get it." At that moment, Callie was walking down the pier towards her sister. She enraptured the younger woman in a wet hug. "Ugh, Cal!" Aria shrieked. "Now I have to change."

Callie smiled. "You were going to change anyway. Don't kid yourself. Come on, let's go inside. We have to talk anyway."

Aria followed her sister into the house. Callie wrapped herself in one of the towels laying around, allowing it to rest low on her hips. "So, where's all your stuff?"

"Mark took it upstairs."

Callie raised an eyebrow In surprise. "When did they get back?"

"Right when I got in."

"Oh," Callie said, taking a swig of water, "that was nice of him."

"It was."

"Yeah."

Aria sighed. "Callie spit it out already."

"What?"

"You said you wanted to talk, so stop avoiding the subject and just talk."

Callie let out a deep breath. "Ok. I'm um dating someone."

"Calliope," Aria scolded. "¿Quiero saber?"

"Se llama Arizona," Callie said, easily falling into the Spanish.

"Mierda," Aria cursed. "una mujer…"

"¿Todavía me amas?"

"Por supuesto Callie."

"Thank you," Callie breathed. "I've been killing myself about this, but I just couldn't help it. I fought it hard Aria, but when I'm with her, she makes me forget a little bit of the pain I've been feeling. And all I can think about is how I can't tell him because then he will die hating me."

Aria wrapped her older sister into a hug. "It will be ok. I promise. Let's just focus on having a good time tonight. Will she be here?"

Callie smiled in spite of her sadness. "Yeah she will be."

"Alright then. Let's get this place set up. I don't go to lame parties you know."

By the time the sun had set, a large bonfire raged outside in the large fire pit. Mark had brought over his speakers, setting them up in the corner of the patio. As Callie went outside, she felt the bass thumping through her chest. She was definitely excited about tonight and hoped Arizona would show up relatively soon.

Within an hour, the patio started to fill with bodies. People danced to the music and swam in the shallow portion of the lake near Callie's pier. The Latina was out on the dance floor with Addison. She wore tight, dark washed jeans and a red top that scooped low on her chest, revealing just the right amount of cleavage. She wore her hair down, the dark curls cascading down her back. Allowing the beat to overtake her body, Callie closed her eyes and moved her body to the rhythm. She felt someone behind her, their hands on her hips. She turned around, startled by the sudden contact, and was met by piercing blue eyes. "Arizona," Callie breathed a sigh of relief, "you scared me."

The blonde wrapped her arms around Callie's neck, pulling her into a hug. "Hey."

"Hi," Callie returned, her body melting into Arizona's embrace.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too." Callie replied as she pulled back from Arizona, her eyes locking with Aria's. "Hey, there's someone I want you to meet." Locking her fingers with Arizona's, she directed them over to where Aria was standing. "Aria, this is Arizona."

"Nice to meet you," Arizona said, sticking out her hand.

Aria clasped the blonde's hand, smiling. "And you as well. Callie has told me about you."

Arizona returned the younger Torres' smile. She caught sight of Teddy as she crossed the patio with a beer. "Calliope, I'm going to go say hi to Teddy. It was nice meeting you Aria."

"Wow," Aria said as Arizona caught up with Teddy.

"What?" Callie asked, completely confused.

Aria let out a low whistle. "She's gorgeous Cal. You really didn't do her justice."

"She's amazing."

"You sure this is just a summer thing?"

"I don't really want to think about it."

"Callie…"

"Really Aria," Callie cut her off. "It's just a summer thing and I don't want to talk about it."

Aria rolled her eyes. "It doesn't look like a sum…"

"Aria!"

"Fine. Fine," Aria conceded, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm just going to go over there by Alex."

"Go by Mark," Callie demanded, not wanting her sister anywhere near Alex Karev.

Aria winked as she walked away. "Even better."

Callie's eyes returned to the gorgeous blonde laughing with Teddy a few yards away. She was breathtaking even though she wore only the simplest of things. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a short ponytail. She wore just a simple pair of jeans and a plain blue t-shirt. Callie sauntered over to the blonde and slung an arm around her waist. She leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Come dance with me."

Arizona followed Callie to the middle of the patio. It was dark except for the light cast by the fire and the moon. Arizona tensed under the touch of Callie's fingers on her hips. Callie's chest pressed against the blonde's back as their bodies moved against each other. Callie smiled as Arizona shuddered under her gentle touch. Arizona could feel the brunette's breath hot on her neck and it was driving her insane. Soon the breath was replaced with searing hot lips as Callie planted lingering kisses down the curve of the blonde's neck.

Unable to take it anymore Arizona dragged Callie off the dance floor and into the house. She continued through the living room and into the foyer stopping by the stairs. Callie looked at her, clearly amused by Arizona's reaction. Not finding Callie's amusement funny, Arizona pressed her against the wall covering the Latina's body with her own. She captured Callie's lips in a fiery kiss, allowing herself to be completely consumed by the pleasure coursing through her body. Their hands explored one another's bodies, their lips sliding over one another's. Callie could feel herself beginning to lose control. "Stop," she commanded breathily.

"Ok," Arizona replied, slowly regaining control of her breathing.

"You drive me crazy."

"Ditto."

"We should get back before I do something stupid."

"Yeah we should, but Calliope?"

"Yeah?"

"Happy Birthday."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: My continuing thanks for the reviews.

Happy Reading,

~KB~

* * *

Arizona woke with a smile on her face. The Fourth of July was her favorite holiday after Christmas, and it never failed to bring a smile to her face. Arizona had decorated her cabin with American flags made by her campers, but since her cabin was also comprised of international campers, Arizona helped them make flags to represent their home countries as well. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of the kids' excitement for later tonight. Calliope had arranged for Arizona's cabin to have a cookout at her lake house. It was a surprise for them, so it would be fun.

Arizona didn't ever think she would be able to get over Calliope's generosity. Sure she was generous to the blonde, but she opened her home for bonfires nearly every weekend, and to invite over a school of nine and ten year olds was just brave. Arizona was all kinds of excited. She had grown to love these kids in just a couple weeks. Their smiles warmed her heart and their hugs were something she looked forward to everyday. She loved being around them, bringing smiles to their bright faces and comforting them when they were sad. Her kids had Arizona wrapped around their fingers and they knew it too. While some counselors bolted the first chance they had or didn't spend time in their cabins, Arizona spent every waking moment with her girls, only going to Calliope's after they were asleep.

This summer was certainly becoming more than Arizona bargained for. She knew that perhaps she and Calliope were being foolish thinking they would be able to walk away in four weeks. But Arizona also knew that they were going to have to walk away, as painful as it might be. If she was smart, Arizona never would have pursued the beautiful Latina. But it was summer, and there was nothing wrong with a little bit of a summer fling. There was a problem, however. It wasn't feeling like a fling. Flings were filled with passion, heat, and a whole lot of sex without so much emotion. They were flings, not serious relationships. With Calliope, though, it was different. Arizona felt so much. Her heart raced with every touch, her lips tingled with every kiss, and her heart soared with every glance. They had something, whatever it was, and there was no denying that fact.

But Arizona tried to deny it every day, so as to make their impending separation somewhat less painful. It wasn't helping. They still had time, a whole month actually, but every time Arizona thought of August 6th, she felt a sickening pain in her stomach. Still, she wore a brave face for Calliope and for herself. Letting the pain and sadness consume her now would be futile. There would be a time for tears, but it wasn't right now. It was the Fourth of July, and as far as Arizona was concerned, it was going to be a fantastic day.

After throwing on her standard outfit of Culver staff green shorts and a white staff tee, Arizona entered the bunk room of the cabin. The girls were already up and making their beds in preparation for inspection. Lexie had awakened before Arizona, so she helped the girls as they did their morning chores.

"Lexie!" Arizona called, summoning the bubbly brunette over to her.

Lexie nodded and approached Arizona. "What's up?"

"What are you doing today?"

Lexie shrugged. "Nothing really. I'm meeting Meredith for breakfast at the Coffee Shop, but there isn't anything else I really have today. Why?"

"Calliope is having the cabin over for a picnic as a surprise."

Lexie clapped her hands together in excitement. "Oooo that's exciting!"

"Yeah," Arizona said, chuckling at the younger woman's excitement, "it is."

"When when?"

"We're leaving here at about 4:30. You're going to come then?"

"Of course!"

"Ok. When are you going to meet Meredith?"

Lexie glanced at her phone. "Now actually."

"Ok well I'll see you later then."

"Definitely!" Lexie threw over her shoulder as she exited the cabin. The brunette bounded down the steps quickly and crossed the grass. Lexie was excited. This was her third meeting with Meredith and they had been going pretty well at this point.

Lexie still couldn't believe her father had treated Meredith the way he did. If she hadn't found a random photo in an old box huddled in the back corner of their basement, Lexie probably wouldn't have known she even had a sister. Her younger sister, Molly, didn't seem to be too bothered by the realization, but it had consumed Lexie for weeks. She wanted to know who that little girl was. She wanted to know her name, where she lived, anything. One day, she confronted her father who confirmed Lexie's suspicions. The girl in the photo with Thatcher was her sister. He also confessed that she lived in Massachusetts with her mother, Ellis Grey. After much pestering by Lexie, Thatcher let slip that Ellis had property in a small town located in Indiana. After a little snooping, Lexie applied for a job at Woodcraft in the hopes of finding her sister.

Mission accomplished, Lexie determined as she got into her Mazda. Avoiding navigating through main campus, Lexie maneuvered through the streets of Culver. She turned around the bend, passing by Eby's and approaching the Coffee Shop. She parked along the curb behind Meredith's blue jeep. The door to the small property chimed, announcing the brunette's entrance. She found a smiling Meredith in front of her, ordering a coffee and her favorite danish.

"Hey," Lexie said cautiously as she stepped up beside her. "How's your morning?"

"Actually, it has been pretty good," Meredith replied with a smile as she grasped her coffee. "How about yours?"

Lexie ordered quickly before answering. "It's been decent. Arizona told me about some cookout Callie is doing for the cabin later today, so that should be fun."

"How is Arizona?"

Lexie frowned, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

Meredith shrugged. "Do you like living with her? Is she nice? Those sorts of things…"

"Oh, Arizona is awesome," Lexie answered. "I love living with her. She's great with the kids and really loves the job, so that makes it easier to deal with the hours."

"Yeah, I've noticed she's able to get out more."

Lexie nodded. "That's because I have more duties and I'll also cover for her from time to time."

"That's nice of you."

"Summer love," Lexie replied with a smile.

"Is Callie around much?" Meredith asked.

Lexie shook her head. "Not really. She stops in from time to time, but mostly Arizona goes out there around 9:30 or 10:00 most nights. Callie does nice things for the cabin, though, like the cookout, but she also bought the girls blizzards after they won honor cabin last week."

Meredith raised her eyebrows in surprise. It was rare for a first year counselor with no previous Culver experience to have a cabin that does so well. "Wow, that's impressive."

"Yeah, it was surprising. We knew that it would be close heading into the final inspection, but we didn't actually think it would happen. Arizona was extremely proud of the kids."

"So what about you?" Meredith asked, changing the subject. "Don't you have a summer fling going?"

Lexie blushed. "Definitely not."

"Uh huh," Meredith replied suspiciously, but deciding not to push it further.

"What about you and Derek?"

Meredith sighed. "Derek and I are complicated."

"How so?"

Meredith shook her head. "We're not going to talk about this."

Lexie nodded in understanding. "OK. Well I have to head back anyway," the brunette said, as she stood from the table. "Thanks for giving me a break from the tiny humans."

"Tiny humans?" Meredith asked, arching an eyebrow.

Lexie smiled. "Arizona is corrupting me."

Meredith returned her sister's smile as Lexie waved before the brunette left the Coffee Shop. Meredith continued to sip on her coffee, thankful she got a large. She needed the space to herself. This summer had been fantastic, but what everyone had been avoiding was that it was probably their last. It might not be the last hurrah for Mark and Callie, but for everyone else it was shaping up that way.

Meredith's mother had sold their property last year, so she had only come back to be with Derek. Next year, however, Derek would be in medical school, so their summers were over. They had never had a clear cut relationship. Meredith had met Derek the summer after her sophomore year of high school. His family had purchased the condo next to hers after years of hassling from Mark's parents. This was their fourth summer together, but they never pursued a relationship beyond the end of August. Without Derek here, Meredith highly doubted she would make the trip to the small town.

After finishing her coffee, Meredith stood, and exited the building. She tossed her cup in a nearby trashcan before climbing into her jeep. The streets of Culver slowly passed by as she drove through the small town. She turned left onto Coolidge Court, continuing down the old brick road. Soon, Meredith parked in the driveway of Derek's small condo. She was surprised to find his car missing, but was comforted when she entered the building, finding a note on the kitchen counter. Apparently he had gone to Mark's. It was a nice day and Meredith really didn't want to drive back through town and around to East Shore, so she decided to take the jet ski.

Meredith crossed the kitchen and the living room, exiting the condo through the back patio door. Shuffling across the deck, Meredith made her way to Derek's private pier. She lowered the watercraft from its slip before climbing onto it. After backing out gently, Meredith hit the throttle, and propelled herself across the lake. The wind whipped through her hair as the jet ski skipped across the water. Some people loved water skiing or tubing, but Meredith loved the feeling of being on a jet ski. She especially loved the convenience of only being a five minute ride away from her friends on East Shore.

Meredith eased her speed as she approached Mark's pier. She waved to Callie and Aria who were sunbathing on Callie's patio. Pulling in, Meredith gracefully stood up and tied the watercraft to pier before she stepped off onto the hard, plastic surface. She calmly let herself into Mark's house, surprised to hear boisterous laughter and squealing.

"Mark, put me down!" Addison squeaked as Mark enveloped her in a massive hug.

"You are the best person ever!"

Meredith looked at Derek who sat on the couch laughing. "What's going on?"

"Addison put down a deposit for Mark at Columbia for medical school months ago just in case he decided he wanted to go there," Derek replied with a shrug.

Meredith shook her head, obviously confused. "But I thought the three of you were going to Johns Hopkins."

"We were," Addison chimined in, "but I knew Mark loved Columbia so Derek and I agreed to make dual deposits and I deposited on Mark's behalf as well."

"We were talking about med school this morning and I lamented my poor choice of leaving Columbia, at which point Addison shared that I didn't have to leave at all. It made my day."

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Clearly."

"Don't hate, Mer," Mark replied, "It doesn't suit you."

Addison smoothed out her clothes after finally being released from Mark's clutches. "I'm going to go over to Callie's."

"Oooo me too," Meredith said, remembering that Cristina would probably be over there.

"Bye Ladies," Mark called out to them as they walked through the patio door.

Addison blinked in the blinding sun as she and Meredith left Mark's. Aria and Callie still laid on the patio, their bodies glistening in the sunlight. "Lazy day?" Addison asked as she ascended the few steps to the patio landing.

Aria sat up in her chair, sipping on her iced tea. "Is there another way to spend a summer day?"

Meredith shrugged as she pulled off her tank, revealing a white bikini top. "She has a point there."

Addison stretched out on a chair, the sunlight dancing along her long legs. "I'm going to miss this."

"Oh yeah," Aria said, "You are done after this year aren't you?"

Addison frowned. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure Columbia is going to own me."

At the mention of Columbia, Callie snapped her head up. "Columbia? I thought you guys were going to Johns Hopkins."

Addison couldn't hide the smile that appeared on her face. "Nope, we're going to Columbia. Let's just say I know Mark better than you think I do."

Aria spit her iced tea everywhere. "I'm going to pretend you did not just say that," the younger brunette said as she dabbed at her legs with a towel.

Callie merely gaped at Addison, complete shock written all over her face. "You haven't!"

"Haven't what?"

"Please tell me you haven't slept with Mark!"

"Callie don't look so shocked," Aria said, waving her hand dismissively, "sleeping with Mark is practically a rite of passage."

Callie buried her head in her hands. "Aria, not you too."

"Don't be such a hypocrite, Cal."

"Yeah really, Callie," Aria agreed.

Meredith turned her head towards Callie, a look of shock adorning her features. This was new information for her. "You've all slept with Mark?"

Callie blushed. "Guilty as charged."

"Are you guys talking about your sexscapades with the man-whore next door again?" A voice asked from the door.

"Cristina!" Meredith squealed. "Where have you been?"

"With Owen," Cristina answered with a shrug.

"Now there's a name I haven't heard all summer," Addison said. "Where's he been?"

Cristina shrugged. "He's been busy over at Upper Camp. We just had lunch over there, it's crazy. So many annoying teenagers."

Addison rolled her eyes. "You are an annoying teenager."

"I'm almost twenty," Cristina scoffed.

"Anyway," Addison said, forcing a change of subject, "what are you doing for the rest of the day, Callie?"

"Well, I'm hosting a cook out for Arizona's cabin and then I figured after the kids left, the two of us would watch fireworks."

"No massive party?" Cristina asked hopefully.

Callie shook her head. "I'm sure there will be parties tonight Cristina."

"Nope. Everyone thinks it's going to be here."

Callie frowned; she really didn't want to throw a bonfire tonight. "Well…"

"Derek and I will do one," Meredith piped up, sensing Callie's dilemma.

Cristina shrugged. "That's fine with me."

"We will have to go shopping," Meredith stated, "and decorate and all that stuff."

"Yay!" Addison cheered. "I'm coming too."

"And me," Aria chimed in.

Meredith glared at Cristina, her eyes silently pleading with her friend. Cristina shook her head. "Not happening, Mer."

"Come on Cristina! You can't leave me with those two."

"Hey!"

"I resent that!"

Cristina didn't miss a beat. "I can and I will. I'm not going."

Meredith arched an eyebrow. "You sure about that? This place is going to be crawling with kids in a couple of hours."

"Futre," Cristina muttered. "Fine I'll go, but don't expect me to enjoy it."

Cristina, Meredith, Addison , and Aria, all got up from their chairs. Meredith. Put her top back on and the other women followed suit, covering their swim attire with the clothing they had brought with them. Callie waved at them as they left, still lounging and enjoying her final moments in the sun before she had to get ready for the cookout she had promised Arizona she would throw for the girls in her cabin.

Things with Arizona were amazing as far as Callie was concerned. Every spare moment Arizona had was spent at Callie's, and the Latina wouldn't have it any other way. She was completely mesmerized by the blonde. Everything about her captivated Callie's senses. Callie loved the way her blonde curls bounced when she left, the way she smelled like vanilla and strawberries, but most of all Callie loved the adorably cute dimples that adorned Arizona's features whenever she smiled.

Callie frowned slightly as she arranged the patio furniture. So much of this summer had been the best of her life, but there was still the nagging feeling of finality in her chest. Callie knew that Culver would never be the same after this summer. Addison, Derek, and Mark were going to Medical school. Teddy had also graduated and was going to med school, so was Owen. Without Derek, Callie highly doubted Meredith would be returning, which meant Cristina wouldn't be either. Basically this next month was it. They had already been here for three weeks, and it had felt like nothing, so Callie felt as if their remaining days were also going to speed by.

Callie forced herself to set those thoughts aside, however, as she prepared for the cookout. Within a couple of hours, Callie had the grill up and running, different flags decorating various places of the patio. She smiled as she heard the squeals of happy children floating through her backyard. Within seconds, twelve girls surrounded Callie clamoring for food and goodies. As Callie passed out the food, she smiled seeing Arizona round the corner with Lexie in tow. Arizona had straightened her hair, the blonde strands coming to just below her shoulders. Even in just her camp staff shirt and Khaki pants, Callie thought she looked beautiful.

Arizona nodded in Callie's direction as she approached the taller woman. Callie wrapped her arms around the blonde in a much too short and far too innocent embrace for the feelings she had coursing through her body. She made sure, however, to run her fingertips over the back of Arizona's hand – as she pulled away – in a lingering caress.

For the next few hours, the kids ran around the patio and played in the water. Callie made sure to keep the grill going, though it was hard to keep up with these kids. Who knew little girls could eat so many hotdogs? Arizona was busy playing with the girls and Callie rambled in Spanish to the girls from Mexico or other Spanish speaking nations. The two women spent the evening stealing glances and sharing hidden smiles. Lexie also helped with the kids, in an effort to make sure they didn't get too out of control. As the sun began to set Lexie corralled the girls leading them back to the mini-bus, leaving Arizona with Callie.

Finally alone, Arizona wasted no time in pressing her lips against Callie's for the first time in what felt like days. At the contact, Callie's heart began to race. It never failed to amaze her how much one touch of Arizona's lips affected her. Callie smiled into the kiss, happy to finally be alone with the blonde. She turned as she heard the boom of the first firework go up in the sky. Callie linked her fingers with Arizona's and dragged her to the boat. She quickly got it in the water and helped Arizona inside.

Callie slowly navigated them out to just off the north shore where the fireworks were set off every Independence Day. She cut the engine before releasing the small anchor. Callie gently took Arizona's hand, leading them to the bow. She sat against the cushioned seats, motioning for the blonde to join her. As the fireworks lit up the sky, Callie wrapped her arms around the woman in front of her, allowing her to fully sink into the Latina's body.

"Happy 4th of July," Callie murmured in Arizona's ear.

"This is amazing, Calliope. I'm so happy I'm here with you."

"I'm happy you're here with me too," Callie replied.

Arizona moved out of Callie's embrace. She turned around so that she was facing Callie before leaning in to give her a tender kiss. As her lips brushed against Callie's however, Arizona lost all coherent thought. Their lips moved against each other as if engaged in a sensual tango, their tongues engaged in a beautiful duel.

Pulling away, Callie grabbed the blonde's hand and placed it over her heart, the muscle beating quickly under her fingers. Arizona's eyes widened at Callie's sudden intimacy. Wordlessly, she grabbed the Latina's hand and placed it over her own heart. Callie smiled as she felt Arizona's heart race under her palm. It was she most intimate moment either of them had ever shared. By feeling her racing heart, Callie knew Arizona's feelings mirrored her own. In some ways that was extremely comforting and in others it made everything that much harder.

In that moment, however, Callie merely looked into Arizona's eyes and saw such emotion in the blue orbs, that she forgot all rational thought. She leaned in, her lips recapturing Arizona's and her hand never leaving the comfort of Arizona's beating heart.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I worked unbelievably hard on this, so I hope it doesn't disappoint. A big resounding thank you to my beta (who also happens to double as my wonderful gf and love of my life) Alleon. You, too, put your heart and soul into this and I thank you for that. Anyway, as always...

Happy Reading,

~KB~

* * *

"You leave tomorrow," Callie said, her feet dangling in the water off her pier.

An overwhelming sadness engulfed Arizona. The past month had been the best of her life. She and Callie spent every possible moment together. They went out on the boat, splashed in the lake, made out on the tramp, went for long drives through the Indiana countryside, and had countless meals at the various Culver restaurants. Arizona had been preparing herself for this moment since the moment she met the beautiful Latina, but in the end, her preparation did nothing to quell the ache in her chest. She sighed in realization. "I leave tomorrow."

Callie faced Arizona, clasping her hands between her own, desperately clinging to the woman she didn't want to leave. "Don't leave tomorrow. Stay with me."

"Calliope," Arizona breathed in an exasperated sigh. Arizona shook her head sadly. She wanted to stay; she wanted to stay so badly, but they needed a clean break. If Arizona stayed in Culver, in their bubble, nothing good would come of it. Sure, they would have a few more days of kisses and fun, but it would only make it more painful in the end. "I…"

"No," Callie interrupted, hushing Arizona with a tender and yet pleading kiss. She didn't want this to end, especially when it didn't have to just yet. She wanted more hugs, more kisses, more time. She pulled away slowly, relishing having Arizona so close. Callie's eyes locked with Arizona's, her brown orbs begging the blonde to stay. "You don't go to Harvard for another three weeks. I'm asking you to stay two of those with me. No campers, just us."

"And your large group of friends," Arizona replied with a laugh.

Callie shrugged. "I can get rid of them, or we could leave. I'll take you to Spain," Callie pleaded. She meant that too. She would happily whisk Arizona away so they could continue to just be with each other without the cares and worries of the real world. "I don't care. I'm asking you to please not leave tomorrow."

Arizona shook her head. Her father was already on his way. They had decided at the beginning of the summer as Arizona left for the airport that her dad would drive her home, so they could spend some time together before she went to Harvard. There was no way she was going to call that man and tell him to turn around. There was a reason she had authority issues. "The Colonel has already left. He'll be here tomorrow."

Callie sighed defeatedly. "So you're leaving tomorrow."

Arizona nodded. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

Callie wiped away the tear that crept down her face. Why was this so hard? When she and Arizona decided to have this summer together, Callie never imagined that having to say goodbye would be this difficult. Her chest was tight and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Her heart raced uncontrollably, the pulse pounding in her ears. Callie thought she heard Arizona say something, but all she just saw her lips moving and didn't register any sound. The brunette gazed at Arizona. The blonde put her hand reassuringly on the Latina's thigh, her face creased with concern and sadness. Callie frowned as another tear streamed down her cheek. Arizona brushed away the tear with her thumb before kissing Callie tenderly.

As she felt Arizona's lips against hers, Callie felt some of her pain melt away. The feeling of Arizona's lips caressing hers reminded Callie that they were still in Culver, still on the pier, and they still had time together, even if it wasn't much. "I'm sorry," Callie blubbered, sniffling as she tried to regain her composure. "I didn't want to cry."

Arizona smiled sadly, her own tears threatening to fall. "It's alright to cry, Calliope."

Callie shook her head. "I can cry tomorrow, but today I really want to enjoy what little time we have left. I don't want to waste it because I'm sad."

Arizona tilted her head, a sad smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "So I can't be sad?"

Callie took the blonde's hands in hers, grasping them tightly. "Of course you can be sad. I'm sad…really sad, but I want to at least make it bearable for awhile. So…I'm thinking pancakes at Café Max."

Arizona smiled a genuine smile, happy that the mood was lightened, at least for a little while. "I love pancakes."

Callie had to bite her tongue, in order to swallow her natural response. Seeing Callie's response, Arizona arched an eyebrow almost expectantly, waiting to hear what the Latina would say. A wide smile crossed Callie's lips. "I love pancakes too," she said to Arizona, looking deeply into the deep pools of blue that were the blonde's eyes. Callie wasn't exactly sure if she meant her words to have a double meaning, but it sure felt like they did. The Latina held Arizona's gaze as the blonde beauty smiled a dimpled smile of her own. Since the time they spent watching fireworks on the 4th of July, Callie felt increasingly more connected to Arizona, but they had never dared to utter those terrifying words. So for now, they loved pancakes.

Callie wiped her eyes and stood up on the pier, offering her hand to Arizona. The blonde allowed the taller woman to pull her up. Their fingers entwined, Callie led Arizona to the end of the pier before dropping the blonde's hand and walking down the stairs into the shallow portion of the lake. She crossed the sandy bottom in her flip flops, the water reaching just above her knee, leaving her short, white shorts completely dry. She walked towards her small fleet of jet skis, lowering one off its slip into the warm, afternoon water. The Latina hoisted herself onto the watercraft and guided it to the end of the pier where Arizona waited with a huge smile adorning her features.

As Arizona climbed onto the back of the jet ski, she couldn't helped but continue to smile. Her arms looped around Callie's waist, burying her face in the crook of Callie's neck. This was Arizona's favorite part of being with Callie. She held on tightly as Callie maneuvered the watercraft passed the buoy into the open lake. Arizona loved this feeling. She had gone jet skiing with Callie on occasion this summer, but usually they road on separate skis. Whenever Callie offered, however, Arizona jumped at the chance to ride with Callie and wrap her arms around the lusty Latina, pressing their bodies tightly together.

The water rushed under them, the houses all but becoming a blur as the two women sped across the lake. Callie had them heading towards Derek's condo, his pier being the closest to downtown Culver. Arizona loved the system they had set up. With Callie and Mark on one side of the lake and Derek, Teddy, and Addison on the other, they could drive their boats from one pier to the next, easily getting around the small town without getting into a car. Plus, it was faster and generally more fun.

Callie slowed the watercraft as they approached Derek's pier. Arizona unwrapped her arms from the Latina's waist before stepping off the jet ski. Callie got off the watercraft and tied it up at the pier. She smiled at Arizona as she laced their fingers together once more before leading them out of Derek's backyard to one of Culver's many narrow streets. The two women walked together, chatting aimlessly, and always maintaining a point of contact, whether it was through their hands or Callie's arm around Arizona's waist. They were comfortable and that was awesome.

Callie opened the door for her blonde companion. The two women entered the small restaurant, the smell of breakfast food filling their nostrils. Callie absolutely adored this place. In a town that was so divided between winter and summer, public and private, the fact that one could enter a place such as Café Max was amazing. Named after Lake Maxinkuckee, the restaurant had been around for decades. The walls were decorated with pieces of Culver history. Arizona noticed that the walls displayed a balanced story of Culver, from the summer school jackets, the Community high school class photos, to pictures of Academy sporting events; it was all there.

"Pretty amazing, isn't it?" Callie asked as she slid into a booth

"This place is awesome," Arizona agreed, sitting down across from Callie. "I can't believe I haven't been here until now."

Callie shrugged. "Well we were supposed to come here for our first date, so it seems that it would be an appropriate place for our last," Callie concluded sadly. She frowned at the sadness that crept into Arizona's eyes, a forced smile trying to tug at her quivering lips. The brunette reached across the table to gently caress her cheek. "I'm sorry," Callie whispered. "I didn't mean to make you sad."

Arizona smiled, her bright blue eyes glistening with unshed tears as a small smile crept across her face. "Calliope, you make me so happy. It's only leaving you that makes me sad."

Callie straightened in her booth, puffing a couple strands from in front of her face. She smiled reassuringly at Arizona, her hand caressing the blonde's. "Let's order, ok?"

Arizona nodded, her smile straining as she tried to enjoy her last day with her beautiful Latina girlfriend. Her Calliope. "Ok."

After they placed their order, their food came quickly. Callie smiled across the table as she cut into her pancakes. She loved Café Max pancakes, in fact, she had never ordered anything else. Pancakes with a side of bacon. It wasn't that she didn't like to experiment or resented change; Callie just knew what she wanted and she felt no need to mess with a good thing. It was so comforting to be able to have pancakes in the early afternoon, especially as a makeshift final date with the most amazing person she had ever met.

They ate in a comfortable silence, communicating in stolen glances and small smiles. A month ago, Callie may have been unnerved by their lack of verbal discourse, but now, she knew they didn't always need words. In one look, Arizona could convey everything she wanted Callie to know just as easily as uttering a few simple words.

The waitress collected their emptied plates, thanking them for their service. Arizona looked confused as their server left without giving them a bill. But now that she thought about it, no one ever gave them a bill when they ate out, except for their first date. Arizona was going to pick this check up, but her plan was stifled by the lack of bill. She wanted answers. "Calliope?"

"Hmm?" Callie grunted as she bent over the booth to grab her purse.

"Why didn't the waitress give us the bill? I wanted to pay." Callie blushed and mumbled something unintelligible, which frustrated Arizona. "What was that Calliope?"

"I have accounts at all the restaurants. Have we not talked about this?"

Arizona shook her head, feigning anger. "Apparently not."

Callie smirked. "How about I make it up to you and let you drive us home?"

"Oooo," Arizona said cheekily, pretending to ponder the situation. "I think that'll work."

Callie smiled and took Arizona's hand, allowing the blonde to lead them back towards the jet ski parked at Derek's pier. It didn't take too long for them to reach the watercraft, but Callie stood on the pier for a few moments, reluctant to give Arizona the key. "Come on," Arizona whined, "you promised."

"I know, but I just need a moment."

Arizona rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Calliope. Hand me the damn key."

"Fine," Callie grumbled, placing the key in the palm of Arizona's delicate hand. "Please just don't kill me."

Arizona smirked as she closed her hand around the key before Callie could snatch it out of her palm. She untied the jet ski and climbed on, motioning for Callie to join her. Begrudgingly, the Latina slid behind Arizona, wrapping her arms around her slim waist. The blonde slowly guided them away from pier and back to the open lake. Arizona smiled as she propelled them forward, skimming over the small ripples in the water. She now understood why Callie had been reluctant to let her drive. This feeling was electric. Arizona felt like she was flying. The wind whipped through her hair; her beautiful girlfriend riding behind her and sitting extremely close; it was nothing short of awesome. Callie even let her steer the watercraft up to the slip.

After making sure the jet ski was secured, Callie and Arizona waded through the shallow water to the stairs leading up to the surface of Callie's pier. They walked, hand-in-hand down the pier, stopping at the patio. Callie sat in one of the chairs, pulling Arizona onto her lap. The blonde nuzzled into Callie's warm body, allowing herself to be enveloped by her arms. Arizona squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ward off the tears as Callie dropped a soft kiss against her blonde hair. She knew she had to hold it together. Her father had raised her to be strong, to hold steady, and to always be there for others. Arizona was raised to be a good man in a storm and to believe in her own strength as a woman…as a Robbins. But cuddling with Callie on her last day in Culver threatened to break her resolve.

"Hey," Callie murmured against the top of Arizona's head.

Arizona lifted her head and placed a lingering kiss on Callie's cheek. She was going to miss this, being able to kiss her soft, caramel skin whenever she wanted. She was going to miss the warm, summer sun, the evening swims, the drunken twister, but most of all, Arizona was going to miss the woman sitting with her. Her forehead pressed against the Latina's cheek, her eyelashes ticking the other woman's cheek. "Hey yourself."

Callie smiled. "What are you thinking about?"

Arizona sat up and looked into Callie's eyes. "How perfect this moment is, how perfect you are."

Callie shook her head in disagreement. "I am not perfect."

"To me," Arizona said before pressing her lips tenderly against Callie's, "you are perfect."

Callie's heart swelled at the blonde's words. She had never been so happy in her life. Even with the sadness of the next morning lingering in her mind, in this moment Callie was undeniably happy. She captured Arizona's lips in a passionate kiss, pouring her emotions into it. They pulled away from one another breathless. Callie's right hand traced up the blonde's arm before coming to rest over her heart. Arizona clasped her hand around the Latina's in a pleading grip. Arizona's breath caught as she lost herself in the brunette's chocolate eyes. The words she so desperately wanted to utter sat at the tip of her tongue. She had tried to not let herself fully open up to Callie, but it had happened against her will. The woman before her had completely captured Arizona's heart. That realization was something for which Arizona was unprepared. She thought she'd been guarded, just in this for the summer, but she had no idea how she was going to walk away in the morning. Arizona shook her head as she resettled in Callie's arms. Tomorrow was tomorrow, it could wait.

* * *

"Calliope!" Arizona squealed as Callie slid a blindfold over her eyes. "What are you doing?"

Callie laughed. "I'm surprising you."

Arizona sighed, irritated from the Latina's antics. "When could you possibly had the time to set up a surprise, Calliope? I've been with you all day."

"Ah that maybe true tatica," Callie retorted, surprising Arizona with a quick peck on her lips, "but you sleep harder than you think."

"Damn," Arizona cursed under her breath. After spending the afternoon curled up on the patio, Arizona had opted to take a nap before dinner. Apparently she had been dead to the world if Callie was able to plan something for them. "I always thought I was a light sleeper."

"Nope," Callie said with a laugh, leading Arizona up the driveway, "so not true."

"Just so you know, I'm really not appreciating this."

Callie smirked, pulling Arizona across the road. "Yes you are." She grabbed Arizona from straying back into the road, enjoying the feeling of having the blonde wrapped around her. "You are so appreciating this."

"I hate you," Arizona murmured, though she definitely didn't mean it at all. "I just want to know what's going on."

"Ok fine," Callie conceded, taking off the blindfold. "Here you go."

Arizona glanced around, totally confused. "Calliope, we're in the middle of a golf course. What is going on?"

Callie pulled the blonde towards a good sized hill not ten yards away from them. "Just come with me, Arizona." Callie stopped at the base of the hill, turning to face Arizona. "Do you trust me?"

"Absolutely," Arizona answered honestly.

"OK, come on then." Callie led them up the steep face of the hill, stopping at the flat top.

Arizona gasped as she took in the sight before her. There was a blanket with two candles on it and a picnic. "Calliope," Arizona muttered breathily, still stunned, "this is so beautiful." The blonde wrapped her arms around Callie and pulled her into a hug. "I don't know what to say."

"You could start by saying that you don't hate surprises."

"I definitely don't hate surprises, in fact, I think I may love them," Arizona replied, hoping Callie would catch her double meaning.

Callie smirked. "Just like you love pancakes?"

Arizona nodded. The fact Callie picked up on her hint showed exactly how in tune they were with one another. "Exactly."

"Well, why don't we go ahead and enjoy your surprise then," Callie suggested, taking a seat on the blanket, Arizona following close behind her.

They ate their food under the emerging stars and the setting sun. Conversation flowed easily between the two of them, just like it had all summer. But as they polished off the last few remnants of food, silence fell between them. The weight of this being their last true meal together finally sat square on their shoulders. Callie looked up from her plate to see Arizona's lip trembling. She reached over to the blonde, grabbing her hand, and pulling her up off the blanket. She draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, before walking down the hill away from the place that signaled with such finality the popping of their bubble.

They made the short journey back to the house in a teary silence. Arizona slipped her hand from Callie's once they reached the front door. The Latina looked at her with pleading eyes. "Stay with me, Arizona."

Arizona shook her head. "Calliope…"

"I'm not asking for Spain or California, or wherever," Callie interrupted. "I'm asking for this night. I'm asking you to stay with me tonight."

"I…I…I…don't love pancakes," Arizona blurted.

Callie arched an eyebrow, hoping that this would be the moment for which she had been waiting. "You don't?"

"No. I don't," Arizona answered, her eyes locking deeply with Callie's.

"What do you love Arizona?" Callie asked as she stepped closer to the blonde.

Arizona nervously bit her lip. She knew the answer, but something held her back. Those brown eyes, though. God did she love those brown eyes, and the full red lips, and the curves, and the dark hair, and the mind belonging to the woman standing before her. She loved everything about the Latina. She loved her. "I love you. I love you so much."

At that moment, waves of relief and happiness washed over Callie. Arizona loved her. At a loss for words, Callie crashed their lips together, pouring everything she felt into this kiss. Their lips collided over and over, their tongues dancing. In a word, it was perfection. It felt so much deeper than their previous kisses. There was more there than lust, than serious like; it was genuine love. Callie pulled back in a daze. "God Arizona, I love you too."

They stumbled into the house and through the kitchen, nervously kissing each other. They finally reached Callie's room, parting as Callie shut the door behind them. She stood in front of Arizona trying to catch her breath. "I'm nervous," Callie admitted.

"Me too."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Callie frowned. "You're leaving tomorrow."

Arizona nodded. "I know, but we have tonight."

"Please," Callie begged, "kiss me, so I can have that to remember and to hold onto when I wake up in the morning."

Without another word, Arizona reconnected their lips. This was their time, their moment, their everything. She pushed Callie's sweater off her shoulders, sliding her hands down the Latina's sides before grasping the hem of her tank and pulling over her head. Callie gingerly removed Arizona's top, wanting to remember everything about this night. Slowly and tenderly, they disrobed and completely opened themselves up to one another. As their lips met again and their bodies touched for the first time, Callie felt her world explode. Her body was on fire; each kiss, each touch electrified her skin. Everything about this was perfect. They continued to the bed, their lips never parting, and as darkness fell around them, they faded into oblivion.

* * *

Callie woke to the sun beating on her skin the next morning. Upon remembering the events from the previous night, she reached over for Arizona, only to find that side of the bed empty and cold. Confused, Callie sat up in a panic. Her right hand instantly went to her head, nervously running through her hair. As her left rested on her stomach, Callie couldn't help but smile. There was a note taped to her tank, much like the one Callie had left for the blonde two months ago. She grabbed the note, hoping it was Arizona telling her she had gone to get coffee, but deep down she knew better. Beginning the letter, Callie couldn't help but finally let herself succumb to her emotions and let the tears flow.

_My Dearest Calliope,_

_By the time you read this, I will probably be in Illinois. I want you to know that this summer was the best of my life without question. When I walked in on you dancing in your underwear, I never thought that I would find a love unlike anything I had ever experienced. I never meant to fall in love, but I don't regret anything except for maybe the timing. I'm sorry I left, but I knew that if I had coffee and breakfast with you that I wouldn't be able to leave, and I had to leave. If things were different, if we had met at a different time in our lives, who knows what might have happened. But as it stands, Calliope, you take my breath away. You are beautiful and kind, generous beyond belief, and everything I did not expect to find when I applied to be a counselor in Culver, Indiana the summer before medical school. You are truly one of a kind. Thank you so much for this summer, Calliope. I hope that someday our paths cross again._

_Love always,_

_Arizona_


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Ok, so in light of some recent events, I have something I would like to say. I've been writing for awhile and have dealt with "forum politics" but never, in my life, have I encountered a place so hostile as a certain *cough* "community" *cough*. Fanfiction is for everyone, and it doesn't matter which site you call your home. No one should be berated for being affiliated with a certain place. At the Calzona Board we welcome everyone. If this makes no sense to you, then don't pay me any mind (but still visit the board if you want.) For those of you who understand…well…you know.

On to the good stuff….

Here's the first post time-warp chapter. I hope you enjoy it! It took a lot out of me to write, but it was totally worth it. Italics are flashbacks.

* * *

(Present Day)

Callie always wondered what this moment would feel like. She saw the blonde's name in the formal announcement of the new Head of Pediatric Surgery, but Callie had silently hoped there was another Arizona Robbins running around Seattle. Not the one with whom she had fallen so hopelessly in love over 10 years ago. Even after all this time, Callie could still feel her body calling out to the blonde, wordlessly begging for her touch.

_The church was filled with Torres family members and colleagues of Carlos, all clad in black dresses and suits._

So much had changed since they had last spoken. Callie was a completely different woman now. She did find it funny, however, how they were both surgeons. Callie had applied to Harvard for med school specifically in hopes that if she went, she would see Arizona. Of course she knew that was ridiculous. In the end, Callie threw away the envelope containing the response without even opening it. Instead she attended Johns Hopkins, opting to also stay away from the threesome and their drama at Columbia. Even if a part of her did want to go to Harvard, Callie couldn't put herself through that. Even if she did reconnect with Arizona, there would be an expiration date, and after how they ended that summer, Callie did not want to go through that again.

_St. Dominic's Cathedral was absolutely gorgeous and the perfect place for Carlos' funeral. Callie had attended mass here since she was a kid. The arches towered over her, the stained glass windows surrounded her, and the coffin at the front of the room reminded Callie why she was here. Her father had died. Callie, Aria, and their mother, Maria had all held hands as Carlos took his final breaths. He looked so frail, so weak, and it broke Callie. Carlos Torres was a bull of a man. He didn't do frail or weak. To see him like that showed Callie how final everything was. She had caressed his trembling cheek, the tears streaming down her cheeks, before burying herself in Aria's embrace. As the monitor's solid tone signaled his death throughout the room, Callie felt her stomach wretch; she couldn't breathe, couldn't stand. She felt hollow. Her father died, so today she sat in the front row of St. Dominic's, clinging to her sister for dear life._

So Callie had gone to Johns Hopkins and thought about Arizona every day. For the last twelve years, the blonde has invaded Callie's mind at least once a day. Her smile, her dimples, her eyes, it was all at the forefront of her mind more often than not. Thankfully, she rediscovered her support system. There would be days that Callie would be staring into space, and Mark would gently caress her arm, bringing her back to earth. He and Addison knew how to comfort her the way that others couldn't.

_Callie smiled weakly as she felt a hand on either shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to know who they were from. In the second row sat Callie's Culver friends. They all made the trip to support Callie when they heard. Maria insisted they sit near the family because of how important Culver summers had been to Carlos. He had practically watched Mark grow up, Addison too. Callie remembered Mark nearly losing it on the phone when she called him to relay the news. He, being the good friend he is, contacted everyone else. When Callie saw them enter the church, she had never felt so loved, so supported. It meant so much that they had come. _

Somehow, they had all come full circle. After that summer, they had fallen out of touch. Callie had stayed in touch with Mark and Addison the longest, but by the time she made the move to Seattle, they only spoke on Christmas, if that. Callie had come to Seattle for her residency because she needed a change of pace. She was over the pretentiousness of the East Coast, and she needed someplace with trees and water. Seattle fit. After two years, however, Cristina and Meredith had also shown up. It was a complete coincidence. Meredith's mother had done her residency at Seattle Grace, so Meredith decided to cope with some of her family problems by following in her mother's footsteps, and she brought Cristina with her. Though Callie was never particularly close to Meredith, it was nice having both her and Cristina around. Of course what no one had counted on was the revelation that Meredith had slept with Derek after a drunken night at Joe's. Then there was that pesky detail that Derek was the new neuro attending, having just completed his residency at Mass Gen. Even more disturbing was the revelation that he was still legally married to Addison, who had cheated on Derek with Mark. The ensuing drama had nearly ripped Callie apart, but they had all struggled through it. Now, Callie supposed, as she stared into those captivating blue eyes, it was time for her to reconcile her own past.

_The service seemed to pass before Callie's eyes and before she knew it, it was her turn to speak a few words about her father. The brunette stood shakily and made her way to the microphone. She was trembling; she had a fear of public speaking. It terrified her, but her father had asked Callie to speak today. His final request. As Callie opened her mouth to speak, words simply wouldn't come. Her eyes desperately scanned the room, looking for some kind of comfort. They landed on a familiar set of blue eyes. Callie breathed slowly, finally finding the strength to speak._

They stood frozen, eyes locked, unsure of what to do. The last time Callie had seen Arizona was at her father's funeral. She had given Callie the strength to deliver her father's eulogy. Ten years ago, hell even five years ago, Callie would have killed to stare into those eyes again, to feel her heart flutter like it was now. But she wasn't the young woman who accidentally fell for the perky blonde anymore. That summer changed everything.

"_My father was a strong, family man. He believed in God and family. He loved us and provided for us, and I could not have asked for a better father. Above all, my father, mi padre, was a selfless man. His final gift to me was sending me back to our favorite place, Culver. Those of you who grew up with me, know that since I was eight years old, I've been disappearing every summer to some obscure town in Indiana. Culver is our second home and this summer was the first I spent there without him. At times it felt empty, but I know he wanted me to enjoy this place we both called home without him there, so his death would not taint it for me. His selflessness gave me a new strength, and for that I will always be grateful. I know that today is a sad day, a heart wrenching day, but I ask you all to remember my father not by the tears that will undoubtedly be shed today, but for his courage, his warm smile and great bear hugs, his tenacity, and most of all, for the love he shared with the world."_

In truth Callie hadn't been back to Culver since that summer. She was embarrassed to admit it, but the place held so many memories, too many things she didn't particularly want to rehash. She couldn't even think about Culver without thinking of Arizona. Her father never wanted Culver to be an unwelcome place for Callie because of his death, but it ended up being tainted anyway. There was no doubting that summer was both the best and the worst of Callie's life. She experienced so much pain and instead of dealing with it, she was seduced by fear. Oh how her father would be ashamed.

_The organ began to play the notes to "Be Not Afraid". The hymn gave Carlos solace during his last months and he had asked it be played at his funeral, and for Callie to sing it. The beautiful Latina struggled to not give in to her tears as the words floated from her lips. Aria, seeing her sister tearing up, rushed to her side. She looped her arm through Callie's and joined her in song, contributing a beautiful harmony. Maria stood from her spot in the front row, joined by Mark and Addison, and soon the entire church was standing, singing, and hugging. The organ postlude filled the room as the palm bearers walked up the aisle, carrying Carlos coffin. Maria, flanked by her two daughters followed close behind._

Callie tore her eyes from Arizona's, shifting their focus to the bottom of her shot glass. Lexie sat next to her, talking Callie's ear off. Thank God for Lexie. As much as she could annoy Callie, the younger Grey provided a little extra brightness in her day. Although, at this moment she was rambling about her relationship with Mark, and it was putting Callie in a mood. Obviously Lexie hadn't seen Arizona.

_They gathered at the cemetery, preparing to lower Carlos' coffin into the ground. Mark had his arms wrapped around Callie in a comforting embrace. As she pulled away from him, the brunette felt a small touch on her hand. She moved her head to look passed Mark, her eyes locking with the gorgeous blue eyes from earlier. "Arizona," Callie breathed as she took in the sight of the blonde. "what are you doing here?"_

_Instead of answering, the blonde pulled Callie into a long hug. She moved her lips to Callie's ear, whispering, "Mark called me, but we can talk later. Right now, I'm going to stand beside you and hold your hand."_

"Lexie," Callie snapped. "I really don't want to hear about you and Mark."

"Sheesh Callie," Lexie responded, a little hurt.

Callie felt bad, she was the only person who knew about their relationship, but she couldn't handle it tonight. Her eyes wondered down the bar, until they found Arizona squealing and hugging Teddy. She, however, immediately returned to her glass. "Sorry, Little Grey. Just not tonight."

"Why?" Lexie asked as her eyes followed where Callie's had been. Once they settled on the blonde responsible for Callie's current mood she muttered a simple, "oh."

_Callie smiled and leaned against Arizona, they're fingers entwined. They stood closely as the priest spoke. As she placed the flower on her father's coffin, Callie lost it. She turned into Arizona's arms, sobbing. The blonde held her love, her heart aching for her. Arizona glanced at Mark, communicating with her eyes that she was going to take care of the Latina in her arms. Callie allowed herself to be led away by Arizona. They walked hand in hand down the streets of Miami in silence. Arizona spotted Callie's Mercedes SUV, leading them over to it. Callie tossed the blonde the keys, much to Arizona's surprise and climbed in next to her. _

Callie drained another shot before hopping off the bar stool. "Where you going?" Lexie called after her.

"To the bathroom."

_They arrived at Callie's monstrous estate. Arizona thought the Torres home in Culver was huge, but this place was gigantic. Putting aside her awe, Arizona pulled into the driveway before helping Callie out of the car. She let the brunette lead them into the house and to her room, watching helplessly as Callie collapsed onto the bed. Arizona curled up against the brunette's back, caressing her dark hair as she nestled into her neck. The blonde draped an arm around Callie, holding her, in an attempt to take some of her pain away. _

Callie pushed open the door to Joe's dingy bathroom, navigating her way to the sink. Shakily, the brunette turned on the faucet. She placed her hands underneath the flowing water before splashing some on her face. Callie glanced at herself in the mirror, water dripping from her nose and lips. For the longest time, Callie thought she would angry if she ever saw Arizona again. She had spent plenty of time being angry at the blonde. Once the initial shock and sadness of Arizona's departure wore off, Callie seethed with rage. For her to walk out the way she did, irked the Latina to end, and to be perfectly honest, it still stung. That wasn't going away, no matter how much closure Callie had.

_After a few hours, Callie began to stir in Arizona's arms. The blonde's eyelids fluttered open, coming face to face with a rather enraged Latina. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Arizona asked as she rubbed her eyes. _

"_Don't play dumb Arizona. You're the one who walked out without a goodbye."_

_Frustrated, Arizona ran her hands through her hair. She knew that by coming down here, there was a chance this would happen, but she still wasn't exactly prepared. "I did say goodbye."_

"_No you didn't," Callie spat, allowing the anger she had felt for the past couple of months seep out of her, manifesting itself as venom dripping from her tone. "You slept with me, told me you loved me, and then didn't have the guts to give me a kiss goodbye in the morning. You didn't even call."_

"_Calliope, I get that you're sad," Arizona replied with a sigh. She knew that this anger was warranted, but she didn't want to let the Latina toss her aside. Arizona knew that Callie needed her there. "but don't push me away. Allow me to be here for you."_

"_Until when?" Callie asked, brushing her tears from her cheeks. "Until you leave again? If you stay Arizona, I won't have the strength to let you go. It_ _will break me, so just go now."_

"_Calliope, I love you."_

_Callie sighed. "I know you do Arizona, and I love you too."_

_Arizona swooped in for one last kiss. Her lips gently slid against Callie's as she cupped her face. The brunette allowed herself to succumb to her true feelings as she indulged in this final moment with the woman she loved. They both knew it was the end. As angry as Callie was with the Arizona, she knew she couldn't deny her love for the blonde. She needed this. Closure. _

_As she pulled away, Arizona whispered. "You can always call me, Calliope."_

"_Likewise Arizona."_

_Arizona frowned. "You aren't going to call."_

"_You aren't either."_

_Arizona caressed Callie's cheek one last time before walking towards the door. "Goodbye Calliope," she whispered, slipping out to the hall._

"_Goodbye Arizona."_

Callie wiped her face with a couple of paper towels. She hated thinking about that day, that terrible day. It was, without a doubt, the worst day of her life. Seeing Arizona again had brought it all back, causing her thoughts and memories to swirl around her already tipsy brain. Callie jumped as the door swung open. She turned around, her long hair swinging over her shoulder as she did so. Her heart stopped as she realized who was present in the bathroom. "Arizona," Callie whispered.

"Just wait," Arizona cut her off, holding up her hand. "I've been at the hospital for a couple days, and it's funny that I didn't realize you work at the hospital too. Because well, people talk. People talk where we work and I've been hearing about this Dr. Torres person for a couple of days now and I know things about you. Like you got married in Vegas…to a man. That was shocking. But," Arizona stopped herself, taking a deep breath, "that is not the point. I just wanted you to know that I didn't stalk you and if I had any idea you were working here then…"

"What Arizona?" Callie asked heatedly. "You would have avoided me?"

Arizona shook her head. "No Calliope. I would have asked you to dinner sooner." Arizona stepped closer to the now panicking brunette. "I know that we spent one summer together ten years ago, and I know that I left you, and I know that there are ten thousand reasons why I shouldn't ask you to dinner, but I can think of a better reason of why I should."

Callie chuckled sarcastically. "Wanna give me a hint, Arizona?"

The blonde tilted her head in that perfect way Callie adored. Without warning, Arizona gently cupped the Latina's face. She leaned in, pressing her lips against Callie's softly. Pulling away before Callie could deepen the kiss, Arizona murmured, "I think you know."

Turning on her heel, Arizona exited the bathroom and right into the body of Mark Sloan. "Oh I'm sorry," she mumbled as she tried to walk away.

Mark, however, was pretty quick. He grabbed her elbow, pulling the blonde back to him. "Blondie, is that you?"

Smirking, Arizona brushed Mark's hand off of her. "The name is Arizona, Mark."

"Torres know you're here _Arizona_?" Mark asked, purposely drawing out her name. At that precise moment, Callie opened the bathroom door, joining the crowded hallway. "Well," Mark said boisterously, "this is awkward."

"Suck it, Mark," Callie barked, obviously not happy with the current situation.

"Mark, Mark," Lexie called from down the hallway. "Did you see who was he…" she stopped mid-sentence as she realized exactly how crowded the hallway was becoming. "Yeah, you've seen her. Ok, I'm just going to go now."

"I'm getting a drink," Callie declared, marching over to the bar. She signaled for Joe to give two more shots, downing them easily.

"You should be careful Dr. Torres," Arizona quipped as she slid onto the stool next to Callie's. "Someone might see you drunk and try to take advantage."

"Are you flirting with me?"

Arizona rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm flirting with you Calliope."

"Why don't you just leave me alone?"

Arizona grazed her fingertips under Callie's chin. "Tell me you've stopped loving me. If you can tell me that you are over that amazing summer, that you feel nothing when I look at you, then I will leave you alone. But I think you feel everything I do. I think you're finally feeling that fire ignite inside you that you haven't felt in years."

Callie looked at Arizona with tear filled eyes. "Of course I still love you Arizona. But we're so…"

"Shhhh," Arizona replied, placing a finger over Callie's lips. "Our love is all that matters tonight."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Ok so it's finally done...woot. I want to thank all of you, as always, for reading and supporting me. I also want to especially thank Peggy (poergy ) from the Calzona Board. Also to Skones who has been steadily going through each chapter and reviewing all of them. So here you go...the next chapter. Please enjoy it...and leave feedback if you feel inclined. I read it all and love knowing how you all react to things, if for no other reason then just to see if the reactions are what I intended. Anyway, as always...

Happy Reading,

~KB~

* * *

Arizona wheeled down the halls of Seattle Grace in her trademark heelys, a giddy smile adorning her features. It was the end of her first week, and for the first time in years Arizona felt genuinely happy. It had been two days since she saw Calliope at Joe's, and things seemed to be going well. The Latina had finally relented and agreed to allow Arizona to take her out to dinner. It was unclear whether this was a date or just dinner, but the blonde was hoping for the former. From the second she saw the brunette's name on the OR board, Arizona just knew that this was their second chance; one that she resolved to not let slip through her fingers.

Arizona came to a halt at the nurses' station. She picked up a couple of charts, flipping through them quickly. She decided her plan for the afternoon and was about to leave when she heard someone come up behind her.

"Any big plans tonight?" Teddy asked the blonde.

Arizona grinned. She found it amusing and rather shocking that seemingly everyone from that summer had turned up in Seattle. From what she understood, part of it was planned and others were not. She couldn't wait to ask Calliope about it at dinner. Teddy being here was a godsend. She was really the only person with whom Arizona had even attempted to stay in contact. After the funeral, Arizona hadn't just cut ties with Calliope, but with everyone. She didn't really have the chance to get to know anyone besides, the Latina, Teddy, and Lexie, but she hadn't really made much effort. It wasn't until she randomly got a text from Teddy in December of her first year at Harvard that Arizona tried to maintain their friendship. Of course like with most things, it faded over time, but they were here now. "I'm going to dinner with Calliope."

Teddy arched an eyebrow. She knew how hard the past couple of years had been for Callie. She got married, divorced, was left in a parking lot by Erica Hahn, and lost her ex-husband in an accident all within the period of a few short years. Having Arizona return was both a blessing and a curse from where Teddy stood. "You sure that's a good idea?"

"Honestly," Arizona said as her face fell, "no. I'm not sure. I mean it's been what? Twelve years? There are so many things that are screwed up with this, that I don't even know where to start. It'd be one thing if we just hadn't _dated _in twelve years, but Teddy, we haven't even spoken. Not. One. Word. And I asked her out on a date, after I cornered her in the bathroom."

"You're forgetting the sex after the bathroom incident," Teddy pointed out not so helpfully.

Arizona waved her hand dismissively. "That's not the point, Teddy."

Teddy arched an eyebrow. "So the sex isn't worth mentioning?"

"Fine," Arizona exhaled, "The sex was fantastic. Even after all these years, we still had a fantastic connection. We're a walking cliché, but still not the point."

"So then what is the point?"

"That's just it," Arizona bemused. "I'm not entirely sure"

Teddy snapped the chart she was scanning shut. "To be honest, Arizona, you really need to figure it out. I'd really hate to see this blow up in everyone's face. I know you're in this bubble of lovely 'oh my gosh I just found the one that got away'…ness, but you're going to have to pop the bubble."

Arizona frowned at Teddy's truthful words. It sucked to have friends who were intelligent and rational sometimes. "But my bubble is so pretty and pink."

Teddy chuckled as she walked down the hall, leaving Arizona at the counter. "Pop the bubble," Teddy called over her shoulder.

* * *

"Mark," Callie whined as she paced across the floor. "I have no idea what I am going to do."

Mark sat on the couch, watching his best friend burn a hole through the floor. Callie had dinner with Arizona tonight and she was freaking out. Mark was grateful, however, that it hadn't turned into a Spanish rant. Over the years, he had picked up a few words because of Callie's outbursts, but not to the point that he was actual help. "I'll tell you what you're going to do, Torres," Mark said, pushing himself off the couch. "You're going to go get all gussied up, have dinner with Arizona, and then proceed to show her all the tricks you've learned in 12 years."

Callie gaped at him in shock, eyes wide. Of course he would make this about sex. "No sabes nada," Callie retorted. "Mark, tu no sabes nada sobre lo que estoy sintiendo."

"Mierda," Mark swore under his breath as Callie went off on her Spanish rant. He ran a hand exhaustedly through his salt and pepper hair. He checked his phone, praying to whoever would listen that his back up was near arrival. As he heard a knock on the apartment door, Mark tilted his head towards the sky and said a silent thank you. Glancing over his shoulder at his Spanish speaking best friend, Mark moved to the door. Upon the second and considerably more impatient knock, he swung open the door, revealing Addison Forbes Montgomery. Without a hello, Mark pulled the red head into the apartment. He gestured to the still pacing Callie by the couch. "This is why I was pissed when you moved to LA. You left me with her." On cue, Cristina opened the door to the apartment and pushed by the two surgeons already populating the entryway. She took one look at Callie before tossing a shoe in the Latina's general direction and retreating to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. "Oh and the angry Korean." Mark poked Addison in the shoulder. "You left me with the Spanish ranting quasi-lesbian and the angry Korean," he said accusingly. "And now you're here and you get to fix it."

Addison smirked. "You're just jealous because I can fix it and you can't."

Mark pouted. "Whatever, just make her stop."

"Calliope!" Addison yelled, halting the Latina in her tracks. "Come over here and give me a hug."

Upon seeing her other best friend, Callie bounded across the living room to embrace Addison. "Hey!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you for a couple of months."

Addison shrugged. "I received a distressed call from Mark a couple of days ago, saying something about the return of the blonde haired, blue eyed, disappearing magician. What was her name?"

"Arizona," Callie replied, knowing full well that Addison knew her name. Her old friend had a knack for being a bit of a bitch at times. "You know her name Addison. Try not to be rude."

Addison rolled her eyes. "I better know her name. Mark and I put up with the sobbing."

"Can you try to be understanding?" Callie asked, beginning to get angry. "You don't get to be mad at her. She's amazing; the timing just sucked. So whatever."

"Would you listen to yourself?" Mark all but yelled. "First you're pissed, then you're ecstatic, then you're pissed, then you're sad, then you're happy. I'm so freaking confused."

Callie collapsed on one of the bar stools. "You're confused? Imagine how I feel." The brunette ran a hair through her raven locks, a panicked look appearing on her face. "I have a date with Arizona Robbins. Arizona freaking Robbins."

"We know Callie," Addison and Mark chorused.

"I haven't seen or heard from the woman in twelve years and now we're going on a date."

Addison enveloped the brunette into a long hug. "Just be yourself. She still loves you and you still love her. The rest will work itself out."

The three doctors jumped as they heard a knock on the door. Callie cowered behind Addison as Mark opened the door. Arizona stood in the hall, surprised to see not only Mark but Addison as well. The blonde tilted her head, delivering her trademark dimpled smile. "Is Calliope home?"

Mark snickered. "Clever, Blondie, very clever."

Addison pushed Callie towards the door, hoping her friend would find the confidence she needed to get through this night. "Call me later," Addison whispered. "I'm staying at the Archfield."

Callie looked over her shoulder at her two friends as she approached Arizona, panic evident in her eyes. She was happy to have this shot with Arizona, but also Callie was incredibly nervous. What if Arizona didn't feel what she did all those years ago? What if she left? Of course, Callie knew she was being ridiculous. If that kiss in Joe's bathroom had proven anything, it was that even with the simplest kiss, Arizona Robbins still possessed the power to turn Callie's world upside down.

"Calliope," Arizona said warmly, a smile lighting up her features. "It's good to see you."

Callie nodded. "You too, Arizona."

"Are you ready to go?"

Callie swallowed hard, not knowing if she should answer that. The other night had shown that she and Arizona couldn't exactly be within an enclosed space without pulling at each other's clothes. Callie was completely torn about how she should be feeling. On one hand she was ecstatic that Arizona was in Seattle, but on the other she was unsure and nervous. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Arizona led them down to the street, the cool night air tickling their skin. As they walked up the sidewalk, Callie's fingers brushed against Arizona's, but she was hesitant to take her hand completely. Callie couldn't quite understand her own reaction. The other night at Joe's she had given in completely, handing her body and soul to Arizona. Maybe that was the problem. She was terrified. This wasn't ever supposed to happen. Callie was supposed to meet someone who could actually sweep her off her feet and make the Latina forget all about the blonde summer dream from so many years ago. Instead, God had played a cruel trick, dragging Arizona to Seattle and back into Callie's life.

However, if Callie were truthful, this was what she had prayed for. She had hoped for the better part of twelve years to wake up and see Arizona's ocean blue eyes staring back at her. Even when she was with George, she dreamed of Arizona. Erica had curly dirty blonde hair and blue eyes; needless to say Arizona had also been on her mind while she had embarked on that awkward tryst. Deciding to just bite the bullet, Callie grabbed the blonde's hand, marveling at the small shock that passed through her body.

Arizona looked over at Callie, a smile gracing her lips. She pointed to the sign outside of the restaurant, indicating that was where they were headed. Callie returned Arizona's smile, grateful that the blonde had picked a place Callie was sure to enjoy. "Mark told me you liked this place," Arizona hinted, giving away her source.

Callie nodded. "I do, very much."

The women sat down at the table, a bit of an awkward silence hanging over them in a cloud like haze. Callie shifted uncomfortably in her seat after she ordered her wine. The blonde across the table, too, sat uncomfortably. Once the waiter returned with their wine, Arizona immediately took a long sip of her chardonnay. Tracing her finger around the glass, the blonde finally broke the silence, "About the other night…"

"It was…" Callie interjected, subconsciously leaning over the table.

"A bad idea," Arizona finished with an exhale.

Callie slunk in her seat. That wasn't what she hoped the blonde would say. Callie had a great time; it easily was the best sex she'd had in years. "Oh. I was going to say great."

Arizona's eyes widened as she fumbled over her words, trying to fix the situation. "No no, Calliope, it was great. That wasn't what I meant."

"So what did you mean?"

Arizona sighed. She wasn't exactly sure how to explain herself or her actions. There was so much hovering above them, and sleeping together on the first night had not been her best decision. "That night, when I saw you, my heart stopped. I remembered everything I felt that summer, and I flirted a lot. Don't get me wrong, sharing that night with you, reconnecting in that way was amazing. I just don't think it was the best way for us to move forward. I would have liked to take things slow, but once I kissed you in the bathroom, it all went to you know what."

Callie stared at the blonde across from her. She loved that Arizona didn't swear all that much. She supposed it was a habit from working with kids all the time. Even while they were at Culver together, it was rare for a curse to leave the blonde's lips. "You're right," Callie conceded. "The past couple of days, I've just been nervous and anxious, unsure about everything, and at a loss."

Arizona nodded. She had been feeling the same way. "Ok, so I guess we should be figuring out what it is we're doing then."

Callie nodded. "I think we should," She replied as a plate of pasta was placed in front of her. Using her fork, the Latina stabbed at some penne, lifting the noodles to her lips. She savored the flavorful tomato cream sauce as it slid past her lips. After swallowing, she returned her gaze to Arizona. "So what are we doing?"

Arizona swallowed her own bite of food before dabbing at her mouth with her napkin. "Well," She began as she place her napkin back into her lap, "it depends on what you want from a relationship right now, or if you want one at all. Either way is fine with me," Arizona said, leaning forward and allowing her drop suggestively.

Callie's eyes widened at the hidden suggestion in Arizona's words. "I thought we decided sex was a bad idea."

Arizona shook her head, smirking as she took another bite of pasta. "I said sex the other night was a bad idea."

"I'm not looking for a sex buddy, Arizona. I'm just…hesitant you know?" Callie replied honestly as she took a sip of wine. She paused, fiddling with her hands as she pondered what to say next. "I don't know exactly how to deal with this."

Arizona nodded in understanding. "I think we need to take it one step at a time. We know we have feelings for one another, but I fell in love with you twelve years ago. So much has happened since then. We've missed so much of each others' lives, so I want a chance to get to know you. I want to fall in love with you again, but without knowing that it has to end." The blonde exhaled, brushing away a piece of hair. "I want us to have our shot."

Callie smiled in agreement. She was happy things were working in the best possible way for which she could have hoped. As much as she may have wanted to rush into things with Arizona, picking up where they left off, the brunette knew better now. She had just turned 33 and was a newly promoted attending. Playing games was not on her agenda at the moment. If she and Arizona had a chance to actually go somewhere, Callie was in. "Ok. So what do you want to know?"

Arizona relaxed into her seat, glad the stressful portion was over. "Well, for starters, why don't you fill me in on how in the world I feel like I walked into Culver?"

Callie let out a laugh at Arizona's comment. "It's funny actually. I came out here for my residency and at the time I was the only one here. Then, Meredith and Cristina showed up because Ellis Grey, Meredith's mother, did her residency here. Meredith and her mom have always had a weird relationship, and I guess moving out here was a way for her to reconcile that."

Arizona nodded enthusiastically, still working on her pasta. "Ok, but that's only two of them. What about everyone else?"

Callie smiled wryly. "See that's where it gets sticky. Derek moved out here to be the new neuro attending at the same time as Meredith and Cristina. He ended up sleeping with Meredith on the first night, and they resumed their previous relationship. Derek, however, was still married to Addison."

Arizona coughed as she nearly choked on a noodle. "Excuse me what?"

Callie took a deep breath before spilling the information. "I know, it's crazy, but the reason Derek left New York in the first place was because Addison and Mark slept together," Callie said, smirking as she took another sip of wine. She saw the blonde open her mouth to speak, but she held up a hand to quickly silence her. "Before you ask…neither one of them told me. I had no clue until everyone else did. It was an absolute mess. Mark came out here and got punched in the face by Derek. Derek eventually left Addison for Meredith, but by then Addison was already working here. Mark ended up staying as well. And Teddy showing up was planned. I think she's planning to bribe Owen to come out here too."

"Oh," Arizona replied, recognizing the name. "Owen is Teddy's best friend who was never around that summer right?"

"Yeah, that's him," Callie replied. "He's finishing up a tour in Iraq."

"He's in the army?" Arizona asked, a little surprised, though she felt a sense of pride and gratitude. Her brother died a few years ago because of a dearth of doctors overseas, so Owen enlisting was something for which she was thankful.

"Yeah, both he and Teddy enlisted a few years ago."

"Teddy enlisted?" Arizona exclaimed. "What?"

Callie shrugged. "Talk to her about it. I'm sure she'd tell you."

Arizona nodded as a lull in the conversation washed over them. The women finished their meal in a comfortable silence. As Arizona called for the check, Callie immediately reached for her purse. Upon seeing this, the blonde shook her head. "You aren't paying tonight, Calliope."

"But…"

"No buts," Arizona replied strongly. She leaned forward, her eyes glinting just a little bit. "If memory serves me correctly, I owe you a meal or two."

Callie blushed, remembering the various dates she had spent with Arizona that summer. She slid out from the booth and stood next to Arizona. Lacing her fingers through the blonde's, she led them out to the evening Seattle air. Hand in hand, they made the quick journey back to Callie's apartment building, coming to a stop in front of the few steps leading to the door. Callie shifted her weight nervously from one foot to another. "So…I um.."

"I had a really good time, Calliope," Arizona said, stepping forward and closing the gap between them.

Callie's breath caught as Arizona's intoxicating scent surrounded her. Their night had been fantastic. Reconnecting with the blonde had gone as well as Callie had hoped. "Me too, Arizona."

Arizona hesitantly leaned forward, silently asking permission to kiss the Latina. Callie answered by eagerly capturing Arizona's lips with her own. What started as a series of short kisses escalated quickly as Arizona gingerly ran her tongue along Callie's upper lip. Completely forgetting they were still outside, the two women molded their bodies together. Arizona's hands roamed the brunette's ample curves as their tongues caressed each other.

Needing oxygen, Callie finally tore her lips away from Arizona's. She stood there panting, trying to catch her breath. "I'm uh gonna go."

Arizona gripped the railing, her chest heaving. Her eyes darkened with arousal as she took in Callie's disheveled appearance. She knew that if she didn't walk away now, she would be hard pressed to do so later. "Yeah. Me too."

They turned on their heels and walked quickly in opposite directions. "Good Night Arizona," Callie called over her shoulder as she opened the door to her building.

"Good night, Calliope," Arizona returned, opening the door to her car. As she sped off to her own apartment, Arizona couldn't help but feel hopeful for their future. Even after so many years, the behaved so comfortably together. She still felt the tingling of her lips from the kiss they shared. The night couldn't have been more perfect, and Arizona was excited for what tomorrow would bring.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Ok so here you go. It's been too long, trust me I know. Sorry I've been in and out for a bit, but I think I'll be able to write a little bit more. That said, with the challenge coming up, I wouldn't expect an update for another week or so because I have to be writing that.

* * *

Arizona stirred, stretching to feel the warm body beside her. Her toes curled as she arched her back off the bed. Yawning, she turned to face the other body. A smile graced her lips at the sight of wavy, dark hair. The woman's caramel skin glistened in the sunlight, enticing Arizona's lips to the back of her shoulder.

"Mmmm," Callie moaned as she turned over in Arizona's arms, "good morning."

Arizona smiled at the sight of this beautiful woman in bed with her. She brushed a strand of hair from Callie's face. Her heart swelled as a lazy smile crossed the Latina's face. It amazed the blonde that this woman made her feel so much. "It is a good morning."

Callie leaned up, gently pressing her lips against Arizona's in a sweet kiss. "I don't want to go to work."

Arizona nuzzled into Callie's body. "I've always enjoyed it when you held me, Calliope," Arizona mused, trying to bury herself further into her lovers embrace. Being with the Latina calmed Arizona; it made the blonde feel safe and protected. She loved the feeling; even though she had often felt the need to be the protector herself. There was just something so equal about her partnership with Callie. They had only been together for a few months, but had achieved a level of comfort and equality that neither had ever expected so soon. Arizona suspected that result occurred because of their very complicated past, a past that Arizona both loved and hated. Pulling back, to look her girlfriend in the eyes, a smirk danced across Arizona's lips. "Do you remember our last day at Culver?"

Callie frowned. That day was the happiest of her life, but it was also dreadfully painful. Her final summer in Culver was wrapped in a myriad of emotions, which over ten years later, Callie still hadn't fully reconciled. She and Arizona had been together for a few months, and of course it was getting serious, but Callie was pulling away. The Latina recognized her behavior, and she knew the reason, but she also knew that she wasn't ready to confront the situation. So, this morning, she was happy. "Of course I remember, Arizona. How could I forget?"

The smirk that played on the blonde's lips curled into a smile. "My favorite part of that day was sitting on your lap by the lake. I was so intoxicated by the atmosphere. Your arms were around me, the wind from the water wisped over my face, and the sun caressed my skin wonderfully. Since that hour I spent in your arms, I've been trying to recreate that feeling. It wasn't until I woke up in your arms for the first time in twelve years that I felt it again," Arizona confessed, returning her lips to Callie's in a lingering kiss. "I'm in love with you Calliope Torres."

Callie felt like she was going to be sick. She had waited so long to hear those words from the woman lying in her bed, but once again, everything was wrong. Her spirit was breaking, her world shattering, and all she had to cling to was the love she had for this woman. Except…love hadn't been enough to keep them together before, and she highly doubted it would be now. She had no idea how she was going to tell Arizona about the phone call she received last night or what it meant for them. So instead of confessing, she forced a smile that most assuredly did not reach her chocolate eyes. "I love you too," Callie replied quickly, throwing the covers from her body. "I'm going to hop in the shower because we are going to be late if we don't get ready soon."

Arizona stared at her girlfriend's retreating form as she disappeared into the bathroom, seemingly in a millisecond. To say the blonde was confused definitely qualified as an understatement. A look of shock crossed her soft features as the shower started. She didn't even get an invitation. That hadn't happened in weeks. "What just happened?" Arizona whispered to herself. That did not go according to plan. Sighing exasperatedly, the blonde grabbed her clothes and made her way to Cristina's room. The snarky resident had stayed with Meredith the previous night. At least she didn't have to wait for her girlfriend to finish her solo shower.

As Arizona felt the warm water against her skin, she hoped it would help soothe the uneasiness swelling in the pit of her stomach. Unfortunately, that was not the case. She opted for a short shower, exiting quickly and wrapping her signature teal blue towel around her body. She made her way back to the room she had basically been sharing with Callie for the past month or so. Accidentally bumping into the small table by the couch, Arizona cursed as she knocked over a stack of mail. She quickly gathered the envelopes and magazines and was about to put one on the table, when a certain letter caught her eye. She picked up the open letter from Mayo, her eyes scanning its contents. Arizona's heart plummeted as she placed the letter back on the table.

The door to the bedroom opened, causing Arizona to jump. She blushed like she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Callie arched an eyebrow. "What were you doing? You look guilty." When Arizona didn't answer and instead shifted her weight uncomfortably, Callie stepped forward, glancing down onto the table. Upon seeing the Mayo letter on top, Callie's eyes narrowed. That wasn't there before. She wheeled on the blonde angrily. "You went through my mail?" Callie shouted accusingly.

"Of course not," Arizona replied. "I accidentally ran into the table and knocked off the mail. I picked up that letter last. It was open."

"So you read it?" Callie asked, clearly incredulous at her girlfriend's actions. "You had no right."

Now it was Arizona's turn to get angry. The woman with whom she was in love had been keeping a secret from her, a very large, life altering secret. "I had no right? I'm in love with you! And this," She yelled, gesturing towards the letter, "changes everything, Calliope." Callie stomped off towards the door grabbing, her leather jacket along the way. "Where are you going?" Arizona shouted after her.

"To work!" Callie returned to the blonde. She opened the door harshly before stepping through the doorway and slamming it behind her. She felt bad about walking out on Arizona like that, but she didn't know how else to deal with it. She was hoping to tell the blonde about the Mayo situation on her own time, but time was running out, as was her relationship with Arizona it seemed. She stalked across the hallway, stopping to rap loudly on Mark's door. Impatiently, she stood, waiting for him to get off his lazy butt and get ready. "Let's go Sloan!" The Latina shouted, sounding harsher than she meant to.

Mark opened the door to a stern glare from his best friend. "Damn Torres, what's got your panties in a twist?"

Callie shook her head, ignoring the question. She would tell Mark; she just needed a few minutes. Her life was hostile to her sanity at this moment, so until she had a whiff of morning air, she was not discussing this issue. "Can we just go to work?"

"Fine," Mark replied, stepping into the hallway next to Callie and pulling the door shut behind him. "But don't think you're off the hook. We're talking about this."

Callie didn't answer. She simply walked to the elevator, tapping her foot impatiently and waiting for its arrival. Finally hearing the ding, she and Mark stepped onto the elevator platform, riding it to the bottom. She pushed open the door to the apartment building, stepping out into the cool air. She took a deep breath, relishing in the soothing feeling the rush of sweet air brought to her nostrils. "Ok," she exhaled. "Let's walk."

Mark pushed off the step to the building in an attempt to keep up with Callie. "You going to tell me why you're so upset."

Callie stalked across the road in the direction of the hospital. She turned to Mark, who was practically jogging to keep up with her. "I got the job at Mayo."

"Wow," Mark said, letting out a low whistle. "How long have you known?"

Callie scratched her head before pulling on the door to the hospital. "I got a letter a couple of weeks ago, but they called last night to tell me they expected an answer within the next couple of days."

"This is a problem," Mark said as he followed Callie into the building. "Do you have any idea what you're going to do?"

Callie sighed and shook her head. This was an opportunity of a life time. The current Head of Ortho at Seattle Grace was only ten years older than Callie, so if she elected to stay, she'd be waiting for a while. She had applied for the Mayo job on a whim, months ago. They were looking for someone young, who did interesting things in the field. Apparently Callie fit that description, so they offered her a contract that gave her the Head of Orthopedic surgery position within two years. It was a guarantee of great resources at the second best hospital for orthopedics in the country. But knowing all that, she still hesitated. "No. I have no idea what I'm going to do."

The two friends stepped in the hospital elevator, riding it to the surgical floor. A _ding _rang through the elevator, signaling their arrival on the floor. They exited and began to walk down the hallway. Callie groaned as her pager sounded in the hallway. Cursing under her breath, she gave Mark on last sad look and headed down the hall towards the pit.

Mark watched his best friend hurriedly leave sadly. He was at a loss. They had been friends since they were kids. They lost their virginity together, so they wouldn't make a fool of themselves with other people. He held her when she cried about her father. He was there through the whole Arizona fiasco. She stood by him even through the Derek and Meredith drama, remaining steadfast and nonjudgmental. Not having Callie here would simply be awful. At the same time, however, he couldn't let his best friend turn down a once in a lifetime opportunity because of a still newish relationship.

Callie was happy right now, he knew that. Arizona made her happy, and Mark also knew that. But he'd be lying if he said he was thrilled with her presence. The woman simply had a knack for bad timing. And as much as he wanted to keep seeing Callie's smile every day, he didn't think that the potential promise of a serious relationship, and her friends should hold the Latina back. He was trying to be grown up about the situation, but truthfully it wasn't really working.

Teddy caught his eye over by the nurses' station. He approached her stealthily, hopeful that Arizona wouldn't pop around the corner and beat him to Teddy. "Altman," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "we have a problem."

Teddy arched her eyebrows in surprise. "How could we," she began, gesturing between the two of them, "have a problem?"

"Callie got the Mayo job," Mark deadpanned. "And she has to answer them soon."

"Damn," Teddy cursed. She had forgotten about the Mayo job, they all had. Just after Callie finished the application and interview process, Arizona showed up. Teddy ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "Do you have any idea what she's going to do?"

Mark shook his head. "No idea. My gut says she's leaning towards going. I wish we could all stay together, but we all knew the separation would come eventually. Addison already left. We're getting to the point where we have to think about careers, and it sucks. I hate being an adult," Mark concluded, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

Teddy joined him in leaning against the wall. "Well, what about Arizona?"

Just then, she sound off wheels clicking against the floor filled the hallway. Mark and Teddy looked up to find the blonde staring at them curiously. "What about Arizona?"

Mark shrugged, pushing himself from the wall. "On that note, I'm going to leave."

Arizona gave Teddy an odd look at Mark's abrupt departure. "What was that about?"

Teddy gazed sternly at her blonde friend. "I'm sure you know exactly what it was about."

Arizona rolled her eyes, clearly perturbed with the situation. "You mean the job offer from Mayo that I accidentally stumbled upon this morning? Yeah, I guess I know what it's about."

"Can you really blame her, Arizona?" Teddy asked gently. She didn't want to pick sides, or have it appear to Arizona that she had sided with Callie, but she had been around for the past few years. She had seen Callie struggle, and she wasn't sure what was going to happen with this decision. "We all forgot about it. She applied before you got here. And also, don't be a hypocrite, you're on a six month contract with no guarantee you'll be staying. That's a little unfair."

This was why Arizona loved Teddy. Sometimes the blonde needed to be beaten over the head with some sense. "You're right, it is, but that doesn't change the fact that the woman I love could be moving to Minnesota."

"You love her?" Teddy mused. "A little fast don't you think?"

Arizona shrugged. Maybe Teddy was right; maybe it was fast, but Arizona had been in love with Callie Torres for a long time. She'd had twelve years to mull over her feelings for the Latina. "Maybe, but Teddy, she gets me. She understands who I am. I fell in love with her during a summer twelve years ago, and I've never gotten over it."

"So then why are you talking to me?" Teddy asked sincerely. "Go talk to her."

Arizona sighed dejectedly. "She's mad at me," Arizona confessed. "She didn't tell me about the Mayo offer. I accidentally knocked over the mail and found it by sheer coincidence." Arizona looked towards the ground, her feet shuffling uncomfortably. "You know, I told her I loved her this morning. And all I got was a half-assed 'I love you too' and a kiss."

Teddy placed a reassuring hand on the blonde's shoulder. "It will work out. Have a little faith."

"I'm trying, but it's just not going that well," Arizona replied. She cursed as she was paged to the pit. "I have to go," She told Teddy before rushing down the hall and out of sight.

Teddy tried to concentrate on her charting, but she found that she was distracted by the drama unfolding around her. It was no secret that the various relationships between the surgeons of this hospital were unusual. They had literally grown up together, spending their summers on a beautiful lake. Teddy smiled remembering the parties, the tubing, and the flings. There was something magical about that place. Now that most of them were here in Seattle, it was all a bit surreal. Other than Arizona, Teddy had been here for the shortest amount of time. Seeing the people, with whom she had spent the better part of ten summers, was an odd feeling with which to become acquainted.

But with Callie's impending departure, their time together, yet again, carried an air of finality. Other than the younger residents, everyone had reached at least attending status. Only Derek and Mark, however, were heads of their department. Teddy knew that within the next few years, there could potentially be quite a lot of shuffling amongst their group. Addison had left just before Teddy had arrived, and now Callie would probably leave for Mayo. The cardio surgeon sighed as she walked down the hall towards the cafeteria. It had been a long morning. She had to come in early because a patient needed emergency surgery, so she was wiped. All she wanted was to relax and eat some food.

Entering the cafeteria, she made a beeline for the salads. She picked up a packaged chicken ceasar salad and bottle of water before joining the usual suspects at their table. Cristina, Meredith, and Lexie sat together, huddled around a book while they munched on their food. Lexie had been integrated, over time, into the Culver niche. She and Meredith had actually formed a decent bond and they, along with their significant others, Mark and Derek, formed a family of their own.

Teddy set down her tray next to Meredith, sliding into the chair. "Hey guys, what are you doing?"

"Looking over a book of hospital rankings and profiles," Cristina replied.

Teddy smirked. While caring about hospital rankings wasn't uncommon, pouring over a book was. "You know," Teddy began, having a feeling that she knew what was going on, "Mayo is number two in orthopedics and has an emphasis on athlete medicine. Callie's cartilage research would be put to great use there."

"You're such a killjoy, Teddy," Lexie said, slumping into her chair.

"Do you want Callie to leave?" Meredith asked.

Teddy shook her head. "Of course not, but we can't keep thinking that we're all going to be here forever. If she decides to stay, I will support her, but if she decides to leave, I will support her in that decision as well."

"I hate that you're rational," Lexie pouted.

Teddy let out a small chuckle. "It's called wisdom, Lexie. It could be worse, I could call you Little Grey."

A look of sadness crept across Lexie's face. "Callie calls me little Grey."

Meredith slammed her hands on the table in defiance. "I'm going to talk to her," she declared, scooting back from the table. "I'll see you guys at Joe's tonight." She grabbed her tray and walked towards the door of the cafeteria. After dropping her tray in the garbage, Meredith pushed the doors open. She wandered down the hospital halls, asking people if they had seen Callie anywhere. As she made her way to the ortho wing, Meredith caught a flash of raven hair entering the exam room. Meredith hustled after her, catching the door just before it closed. "You can't leave," Meredith blurted.

Callie wheeled around, her brown eyes locking with Meredith's. "Excuse me."

Meredith stepped forward. "You can't go to Mayo. I know that they're number two in the country and that you can do a lot with your cartilage research there, but you're the glue." Meredith stopped to take a deep breath. "I know that we aren't necessarily close, but you've always been there, for me, but also for everyone. When all that crap happened with Derek at prom, you covered for me, even though Addison is your best friend. You took my panties off the bulletin board, so I'm asking you not to leave." Having said her piece, Meredith exited the room, leaving a dumbfounded Callie in the exam room. Callie turned to her left, looking over the bed near the door to the bathroom. Her eyes met Arizona's, who just stood there confused.

"She had no idea I was here," Arizona said from the corner of the room. She had been paged to the pit by Callie a couple hours ago. Apparently, a couple of kids had been riding their bikes down a treacherous hill without hands. Naturally they fell and banged themselves up, so Callie had been paged to deal with the broken bones. At first, It was a little awkward after what happened this morning and the talk flying around the hospital, but Callie had communicated her apology through the simplest touch on the blonde's hand. That was enough to make it ok for now. "I'm not sure how to respond to that."

Callie sighed in frustration. She knew exactly how she planned on responding. "I'm going to kill Mark."

"You know people talk, Calliope," Arizona quipped.

A warm smile spread across Callie's lips. "I remember you telling me that, in a dirty bar bathroom. Then you made fun of me for getting married in Vegas. I'm still bitter about that, for the record," Callie added, loving the fact they could still banter a bit even when things were tense.

Arizona scanned Callie's body with her eyes. The tension in the room was palpable, despite their banter, but through the haze Arizona was sure of her feelings for this woman. That had to count for something. "So…about Mayo."

Callie finished tending to the boy on the bed, throwing her gloves in the trash. "Let's talk about it tonight over dinner. Take out?"

Arizona nodded. "Yeah. Pizza."

"Ok," Callie replied as she prepared to leave the room. "Oh and Arizona?"

The blonde snapped her head up from the chart. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry you found out the way you did. And I'm sorry for how I dealt with it."

"Me too," Arizona replied sadly as Callie left the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

* * *

A/N 2: Ok so some of you may want to kill me, but just hang in there. Also, I'm sure some of you are like "why Meredith?" Well…I've always been a big fan of a Meredith/Callie friendship, so I decided to put that in there. :)


	15. Chapter 15

A/N Sooooo….I haven't updated in forever. For those of you who are fellow writers, then you know how much writers block sucks. Just so you all know my plans for this story, this chapter is the penultimate one in the story. There will, however, be a one-shot epilogue following the last update. I also have a sequel in the works…but it is very different from this story. If there is enough interest after the epilogue, then I will probably post it. Anyway….I want to thank my wonderful beta and fiancé Alleon. You're the best and I love you. Also…for Skones. She knows why. Oh..also I wanted to thank Volleyballin and unfathomably. You two kept my spirits up and I appreciate that. Also, montey, veritas, and havesomecake...thank you so much for your consistent reviews. :) And of course to my twin Soricha….you're the best.

Reviews and comments are always appreciated. And as always…..

Happy Reading,

~KB~

* * *

Callie pushed open the door of Seattle Grace Hospital, the whoosh of the entrance allowing the evening Seattle air to rush over Callie's face. The brunette left the building, clutching her cell phone in her right hand as she stared at the voicemail blinking at her. Mayo had called again during her shift, again asking for a decision. The Latina was at a loss. She wasn't sure what she was going to do. If she left, she would be on the fast track to a Head of Orthopedics job at one of the best hospitals in the country. Seattle Grace was a phenomenal hospital, but cardio and neuro were their specialties. At Mayo she'd have virtually unlimited resources to continue her cartilage research.

"_I'm sorry," Arizona whispered, suddenly feeling embarrassed and really out of place. "If I had known, I never would have come."_

_The Latina's eyes softened. "Don't be sorry. Teddy asked me if you could come. She said you were cool. Arizona right?" The blonde nodded. "I'm Callie by the way. I'm just going to go out for a bit and clear my head."_

"_Would you like some company?" Arizona asked hopefully._

"_Honestly, I think I just need to be alone."_

_Arizona's face fell. "Oh ok." She turned on her heal and began to walk back up the pier._

"_Wait," Arizona heard Callie call to her. "I think I could use the company after all…if you still want to come anyway."_

However, there was still the matter of Arizona. Her knowing what was on the table was definitely a relief, but it still didn't make the decision any easier. Callie didn't know if she could survive if she walked away from Arizona. She didn't believe in fate, but Callie did think the universe only gave so many chances, and if she walked away now, there was no guarantee she and Arizona would have another shot. Their timing just sucked, and Callie was seriously beginning to question whether or not they could actually be together in the long haul.

"_Arizona, Arizona!" Callie called from the kitchen_

_Arizona rushed into the kitchen area of Callie's apartment, still dripping wet from her quick shower and wearing nothing but a towel. "What? Calliope, are you ok?"_

_Callie smiled at the appearance of her blonde girlfriend. "Hey!" The Latina squealed. She had tomato sauce on her cheek, and flour all over her t-shirt. "Look what I made!"_

_Arizona frowned as she walked over to Callie. "You interrupted my shower so you could show me a pizza?" _

_The Latina smirked and clapped her hands together excitedly. "But Arizona, this isn't just any pizza. This is our pizza. I made it for us. Isn't that exciting?"_

"_It'd be more exciting if I was dry and had on clothes," the blonde grumbled. _

_Just then, Callie clapped some flour in Arizona's face, the substance sticking to her wet skin and hair. Before her girlfriend could open her mouth, the Latina dabbed a bit of tomato sauce on her nose. "My masterpiece is complete," She declared before running away from her very angry girlfriend._

Her walk across the street was quick, as usual, but the brunette couldn't help but wish it took a little longer. Pulling open the door, she stepped into the apartment building. Callie stared at the elevator before turning away from the machine. She only lived on the fifth floor, so she could take the stairs. Callie breathed heavily as she trekked up the stairs, taking two at a time. When she reached the top, she bent over at the waist, gasping for air. Her legs burned; her heart pounding in her ears. The brunette put her hands on her knees before collapsing on the floor against the rough, cold surface of the stairwell wall.

The Latina was completely drained. Her body was sore, and she as mentally and physically exhausted. She felt as if her head was going explode if she analyzed the situation. So for now, she was just going to relax against this grungy wall, and let her butt go numb from sitting on the cement floor. The emotion bubbled inside her, threatening to spill over with each thought of Arizona or Mayo. Callie knew in her heart what she had to do, but she didn't know if she could physically do it.

Callie wiped her eyes as she pulled herself from the floor. Knowing that Arizona would send out a search party if she didn't make it to the apartment soon, the brunette decided it was best to exit the gloomy stairwell. Even if she was an emotional wreck, the comfort of her apartment was much more welcoming than concrete and a metal railing. The Latina felt as if everything moved in slow motion as she made her way down the hall to her apartment. Her vision blurred from the tears pooling in her eyes.

She finally reached the doorknob, staring at the cold metal object. After taking a deep breath and composing herself, Callie entered the apartment. What she saw made her heart swell. The brunette could see Arizona's blonde curls hanging over the armrest. She only stretched out on the couch like this when she's accidentally fallen asleep. Smiling, Callie hung her coat up before kicking off her shoes. Making her way to the kitchen area, Callie pulled a bottle of wine from the wine rack. She frowned when she noticed the rack was evenly split between red and white wine.

_Callie pushed open the door to her apartment to find Mark, Lexie, Teddy, Cristina, and Arizona bent all over each other. The living room furniture had been pushed to the edges of the room; the center now populated by her friends' sprawling bodies over a massive twister board. The brunette couldn't help but laugh as Mark balanced on one hand, using Teddy's slender form for extra support, flicked the spinner with his free hand. _

"_Right foot green," Mark called out. _

_They all groaned as they attempted to contort their bodies. Arizona managed to lift her head at the sound of her girlfriend's laugh. "Callie!" she yelled. "Come join us!"_

"_No!" protested Teddy and Mark. _

_Callie arched an eyebrow. "No?" _

"_She wins every time," Mark whined._

"_Yeah," Teddy agreed. "She even has a special outfit that she's been wearing for twister ever since we first started playing when we were kids."_

_Callie smirked as she retreated to her bedroom. Within a few minutes, she emerged wearing tie-dye tights¸ a paint splattered tank, and short purple shorts. "Ta da!" She exclaimed, striking a pose._

_At the sight of her girlfriend's ridiculous outfit, Arizona couldn't contain her laughter. She collapsed in a fit of giggles, dragging the group down with her in a heap of groans and twisted limbs._

Arizona drank white wine.

_Arizona followed Callie to the middle of the patio. It was dark except for the light cast by the fire and the moon. The blonde tensed under the touch of Callie's fingers on her hips. The brunette's chest pressed against her back as their bodies moved against each other. Callie smiled as the other woman shuddered under her gentle touch. Arizona could feel the brunette's breath hot on her neck and it was driving her insane. Soon the breath was replaced with searing hot lips as Callie planted lingering kisses down the curve of the blonde's neck. _

_Unable to take it anymore Arizona dragged Callie off the dance floor and into the house. She continued through the living room and into the foyer stopping by the stairs. Callie looked at her, clearly amused by Arizona's reaction. Not finding Callie's amusement funny, Arizona pressed her against the wall covering the Latina's body with her own. She captured Callie's lips in a fiery kiss, allowing herself to be completely consumed by the pleasure coursing through her body. Their hands explored one another's bodies, their lips . Callie could feel herself beginning to lose control. "Stop," she commanded breathily. _

"_Ok," Arizona replied, slowly regaining control of her breathing. _

"_You drive me crazy."_

"_Ditto."_

"_We should get back before I do something stupid."_

"_Yeah we should, but Calliope?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Happy Birthday."_

Biting her lip to try and keep her composure, Callie poured herself a glass of merlot. She stood at the counter, sipping lightly. The Latina savored the pleasant burn the liquid left in its wake as it slid down her throat. Callie's head snapped up as she heard a knock. Walking towards the door, she turned over her shoulder to check on Arizona. The knock must have woken her up, because the blonde now sat up on the couch, rubbing her eyes. The brunette returned her attention to the door, handing the pizza boy a wad of cash. "Keep the change," she said, taking the pizza from his hands. She shut the door before turning around¸ coming face to face with a groggy Arizona.

"When did you get home?" Arizona asked, stretching while she yawned. "And why didn't you wake me up?"

"I'm sorry, babe," Callie replied as she dropped a kiss on the blonde's forehead. "I know you've probably had a long day, so I just wanted to let you sleep for a bit before dinner."

Arizona furrowed her brow. "Oh ok."

Callie smiled warmly before setting the pizza down on the counter. She grabbed two plates from the cupboard by the sink, placing them next to the pizza. She handed Arizona a plate as she rounded the counter. The Latina raised her own slice to her lips after she slid onto the bar stool. They munched on their pizza in a deafening silence, neither sure how to broach the subject looming over them.

Callie swallowed a bite of pizza as she hesitantly met Arizona's penetrating gaze. "So um…" Callie stammered. The brunette sighed in defeat. "I don't even know how to start this conversation."

Arizona set her jaw, partially in anger, and partially to keep her emotions at bay. Her eyes darkened to deep cobalt, sadness clearly evident in the intoxicating orbs. "You could…tell me about the Mayo job."

"Ok," Callie agreed, taking a deep breath, "Well, some months ago I heard whispers of a job opening at Mayo. I applied on a whim. I love Seattle; my friends are here; I've made a home here, but lately I've been thinking about my career. Jameson is only ten years older than me, and I don't want to wait until he retires before I'm the head of a department, so I can stay in Seattle." Callie paused, taking a long sip on her wine. This was the easy part, but the brunette knew things weren't going to stay this simple. It was going to get messy, and she was prepared for that…maybe. "I flew to Rochester for an interview, which went very well, but they were up front that this was a very competitive and slow process. You showed up a week later, and I forgot about it. I'm not kidding, I really did. I was so wrapped up in us and getting to know you that I just forgot about it," The Latina said, sadness and emotion lacing her voice. "I know I should have told you and I'm so sorry this is happening. I got the letter two weeks ago, then they called last night. I wasn't expecting any of this to happen." At those words, Callie couldn't hold it together anymore. Her voice died in the sobs that began to wrack her body. Her shoulders shook as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

_Their fingers still entwined, Callie led them off the path and deeper into the woods. When they emerged, Arizona gasped. They were in the large pasture that bordered the entrances to Culver. There must have been a hundred horses out there, grazing and eating. "Callie," Arizona murmured in wonder._

"_Beautiful isn't it?"_

_A sad look crossed Callie's features. "My father and I spent a lot of time together out on the back roads. We would go on bike rides and drive around to different places. He always wanted us, my sister and I, to get to know this place. Once he visited, he loved it, so he just wanted to share that with us. I just find driving around the country soothing, so I tend to do it a lot…especially lately," Callie trailed off, a tear escaping down her cheek. Arizona reached up and wiped it away, smiling sadly at Callie. Callie took a deep breath and continued. "I was supposed to go to Princeton, but I found out my father had been diagnosed with stage 2 lung cancer. He said it wasn't necessary, but I wasn't going to just up and leave. So I stayed in Florida, but a few hours away at UF. His cancer was in remission by the end of last year, but I didn't feel like transferring. Then, this May the cancer returned only this time it was through his pancreas. The silent killer," Callie murmured. "He has six months and I'm spending three of them here. I know he wants it that way and to be quite honest, I want to be here too, but that only makes the guilt worse. Plus to top it off, I'm…"_

"_You're what Callie?"_

"_I'm feeling things, Arizona. Things I know he wouldn't approve of and it just kills me and it eats me up inside."_

"_What sort of things?"_

_Callie turned and faced the blonde, tears still running down her cheeks. "All sorts of things."_

_Arizona leaned in and kissed Callie softly on the cheek. "Ditto."_

Upon seeing her lover completely deteriorate in front of her, Arizona slid off her stool. She wrapped her arms around Callie's blubbering form, whispering against her hair and kissing the top of her head. "It'll be ok," Arizona murmured, though she wasn't sure if she believed it herself. It was as she held her girlfriend that the blonde realized how much of a toll this had taken on Callie. As the Latina's sobs subsided, Arizona tucked a loose strand of black hair behind Callie's ear. She tilted the brunette's head up, so that she was forced to look Arizona in the eyes. The blonde wiped away Callie's tears, her own beginning to spill over the brim of her eyes. She gently placed a soft, lingering kiss on the brunette's full lips; lips the blonde loved so much. "You know what you have to do," she murmured.

Callie's eyes flitted downward. "I know," she conceded, tears again threatening to cascade from her brown eyes. "But I don't want to do it."

"I can't let you give this up for me," Arizona replied, desperately clutching the brunette's hand. "I know that if I asked you to stay, you probably would. But this is Mayo, Calliope. I still remember you talking about Mayo twelve years ago, before you even knew you wanted to do orthopedics. This is your chance to break free, and do something important."

"But what about us, Arizona?" Callie pleaded. "I love you."

_They stumbled into the house and through the kitchen, nervously kissing each other. They finally reached Callie's room, parting as Callie shut the door behind them. She stood in front of Arizona trying to catch her breath. "I'm nervous," Callie admitted._

"_Me too."_

"_I love you."_

"_I love you too."_

_Callie frowned. "You're leaving tomorrow." _

_Arizona nodded. "I know, but we have tonight."_

"_Please," Callie begged, "kiss me, so I can have that to remember and to hold onto when I wake up in the morning." _

_Without another word, Arizona reconnected their lips. This was their time, their moment, their everything. She pushed Callie's sweater off her shoulders, sliding her hands down the Latina's sides before grasping the hem of her tank and pulling it over her head. Callie gingerly removed Arizona's top, wanting to remember everything about this night. Slowly and tenderly, they disrobed and completely opened themselves up to one another. As their lips met again and their bodies touched for the first time, Callie felt her world explode. Her body was on fire; each kiss, each touch electrified her skin. Everything about this was perfect. They continued to the bed, their lips never parting, and as darkness fell around them, they faded into oblivion. _

The blonde's heart broke at Callie's admission. They both knew how the other felt, but it wasn't something they necessarily talked about often. Until this morning, Arizona hadn't vocalized the depth of her feelings since her confession at Joe's. She always thought love would be enough, but it seemed the universe had it out for her relationship with Callie. They both knew what the move meant for their relationship. "Have you called them back?"

Callie nodded. "Yeah, I called them before I left the hospital. I told them I would give them an official decision tomorrow."

_My Dearest Calliope,_

_By the time you read this, I will probably be in Illinois. I want you to know that this summer was the best of my life without question. When I walked in on you dancing in your underwear, I never thought that I would find a love unlike anything I had ever experienced. I never meant to fall in love, but I don't regret anything except for maybe the timing. I'm sorry I left, but I knew that if I had coffee and breakfast with you that I wouldn't be able to leave, and I had to leave. If things were different, if we had met at a different time in our lives, who knows what might have happened. But as it stands, Calliope, you take my breath away. You are beautiful and kind, generous beyond belief, and everything I did not expect to find when I applied to be a counselor in Culver, Indiana the summer before medical school. You are truly one of a kind. Thank you so much for this summer, Calliope. I hope that someday our paths cross again. _

_Love always,_

_Arizona_

This sucked. That was the only way Arizona could even begin to describe the current situation. The life she always saw herself having was right at her finger tips, but she couldn't quite grasp it. She was undoubtedly painted into a corner. As badly as she wanted Callie to stay, she knew that it just wasn't going to happen. So now, here they were. "I love you, Calliope."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: First of all, I would like to thank each and every one of you for reading this fic over the last few months. Your continuing support of me is what made this fic happen. I know for all of those who commented I know there are many more lurkers. You all are appreciated as well. Truly.**

**For this concluding chapter: I want to say a special thank you my dear twin, Soricha, who is just badass and simply wonderful. To Skones…wow I don't even know what to say. Getting to know you has been a truly rewarding experience. You put up with my crazy moments, tell me I'm great when I need it, and educate me about the wonders of mangos. You're honestly my ibf and have instilled a confidence in me that definitely helped me in writing this fic. I bow to you…you are indeed the best, Smarty, but thank you for sharing your kind thoughts, words, and praise with me.**

**Now that the sap fest is over, as always…**

**Happy Reading,**

**~KB~**

**p.s. be warned...this is long. Get excited. :)**

* * *

The apartment was nearly packed. Boxes were strewn everywhere, Callie's clothes spilling out of most of them. Arizona let herself into the apartment, a forlorn look settling itself on her normally bright features. A week ago they had been happy, with a future, and now she stood in the doorway of her girlfriend's almost packed apartment. Nothing about this was fair at all. After twelve years they had made it back to one another, only to be ripped apart after less than a year? Arizona wanted to scream, throw things, anything that would make her feel just the slightest bit better. Instead, she was the smiling, supportive girlfriend. It was Mayo, freaking Mayo. Maybe if Callie had been offered the Head of Orthopedics job for a hospital in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, the blonde could have thrown a fit and in good conscience forced the Latina to stay. But of course, her girlfriend had to be a brilliant surgeon, who at 32 was tracked to be a department head for one of the best hospitals in the country for her specialty.

Naturally, when Callie told her the news, Arizona felt a surge of pride. Who wouldn't? But pride was not enough for her to be truly happy with the situation. How could she be? The love of her life was moving to Minnesota. Minne-freaking-sota. Does Callie know how cold it is in Minnesota? The blonde was seriously worried for her lover's Miami blood.

"Hey baby," Callie called from the doorway to her bedroom.

Snapping out of her reverie, Arizona plastered a smile on her face. "Hi"

The Latina crossed the open space of the apartment before capturing Arizona's lips in a tender kiss. "I missed you today. It kinda sucked being home by myself packing."

"Yeah, well, I don't think I could handle packing up your stuff to be honest," the blonde admitted, looking away from Callie's intense gaze.

The brunette ran a hand through her raven hair as she let out a frustrated sigh. "Come on, Arizona," she pleaded, "let's not do this please. I would like to enjoy my last few days in Seattle."

"I don't see how you expect me to not be upset, Calliope. You're moving to Minnesota!"

"See this is what I hate about relationships," Callie replied, rubbing her temples with her fingers. "This is not you. Where is the supportive woman I love?"

A sad smirk tugged at the corners of the blonde's lips. "She's gone off the deep end, apparently."

The taller woman wrapped her arms around Arizona, pulling her close. "Come with me," she whispered against her girlfriend's blonde hair.

Arizona lifted her head off the Latina's shoulder, her blue eyes locking with Callie's captivating brown ones. "What?"

"Come with me," Callie reiterated. "You can turn in your resignation, and move with me."

"But what about my job, Calliope?"

The brunette shrugged. "Your contract is up in six months right? And there's no guarantee of renewal, you said so yourself."

"Calliope..." Arizona tried to start.

Callie, however, cut her off. "Arizona, you can just look for jobs in the cities until something at Mayo opens up."

The blonde shook her head, trying to make sense of everything that was being thrown at her. "Callie, Mayo is 2 hours from the Twin Cities. This just doesn't make sense."

"2 hours is a hell of a lot better than 1500 miles, Arizona," Callie deadpanned. "And what isn't making sense?"

"I just can't move across the country right now. I made a commitment to Chief Webber and this hospital."

Callie threw her hands up in resignation. "What about the commitment you made to me? What about us?" the Latina asked, her voice rising as more emotion entered her voice. She had held back for so long, but she couldn't anymore.

"I love you, you know that," the blonde replied quickly.

"Apparently it's not enough," Callie countered as she retreated to the kitchen to make their dinner.

* * *

The day had finally arrived. Callie sat in the car with Arizona, her luggage suitcases filling the small car to the brim. The ride to the airport was tense. Since their little fight the other night, both women had been feeling a certain air of finality. Before, they had been so young, that it was plausible they could cross paths again. Now, however, they were in their thirties; there may not be a third chance.

After Arizona parked the car, Callie retrieved her two suitcases from the trunk, and placed them on the ground. Appearing next to her, the blonde grabbed the remaining dufflebag and laptop case. In silence, they walked towards the airport entrance, the bags wheeling behind them. Arizona waited with the bags as the Latina checked in to get her boarding pass.

Tears threatened to spill from the brunette's eyes as she fought with the touch pad of the kiosk. The frustration she had been feeling for the past couple of weeks was bubbling over, and this poor kiosk felt it big time. After finally managing to get her boarding passes, Callie frantically wiped her cheeks in order to compose herself. She returned to Arizona, sadness lingering in her eyes.

"So I guess this is it then," Callie said slowly.

The blonde let out a long sigh. "I guess so."

"I can't believe you're doing this," the brunette said, shaking her head.

Arizona was confused. She had no idea what Callie was talking about. "Doing what?"

"You're just going to let me walk away?" Callie all but shouted in the middle of the airport lobby.

"What would you have me do, Calliope?"

"Anything Arizona!" the Latina responded, throwing her hands up in the air. "Ask me to stay, show me you care, just do something!"

"I can't ask you to stay, Callie, and you know damn well that I do care, so don't stand there and try to tell me I don't," Arizona spat, her own anger beginning to boil over. "You made your choice, so don't try and pin it on me."

The blonde turned on her heel to exit the lobby. Callie shook her head in complete disbelief. "You're going to just walk away, Arizona? Are you really going to let me go without a fight?"

"What do you want me to do, Calliope? I've tried being supportive, I drove you to the freaking airport. Is this little outburst about me refusing to move across the country? You're being a little ridiculous."

"Am I?"

"I can't just abandon my life here Callie."

"What life, Arizona?" Callie tossed back. "I'm supposed to be your life. We're supposed to have forever."

"We can still have forever, Calliope," the blonde muttered weakly

"Can we?" Callie deadpanned. She regretted saying the words the way she did, but it was truly how she felt. Before Arizona could answer, the brunette stopped her by holding up a hand. "I really don't want to fight about this right now, so I'm gonna go." With that, Callie stepped forward, and pressed her lips against the blonde's in a quick and tender kiss. "I'll call you," she said, turning towards security before walking away, leaving Arizona to stare after her, completely at a loss.

* * *

Arizona walked down the hall of Seattle Grace Hospital. well aware of the fact that there was no chance of her running into Calliope. It had been nearly a month since she put her girlfriend - ex girlfriend? - on a plane to Minnesota. They had left things relatively undecided when the Latina left, which did nothing to ease the pain, sadness, or anxiety Arizona felt. At this point in their lives, it would be ridiculous to think they could go months or any other period of time without talking to each other. Plus with the added factor of the PEDs surgeon's contract issue, nothing was truly certain. Part of Arizona wanted to just quit and move across the country, but the sane, rational part of her was holding back. Something Calliope clearly pointed out before she left.

The whole situation just sucked. That was the only way Arizona could describe it. The woman with whom the blonde knew she was in love, was in Minnesota being a badass surgeon and probably freezing to death. This was not her idea of a perfect relationship. And yet, she spent most nights by the phone, waiting for her lover to call, which after the airport incident didn't happen for a solid week. She always said that she didn't believe in long distance relationships, but she also knew that she couldn't just drop Calliope off at the airport and send her off with nothing but a kiss. It just wasn't plausible. And it sucked.

Royally. Sucked.

So here she was; sad, pathetic, and just a sorry excuse for a person at the moment. When she made the decision not to go to Minnesota, she truly believed she had made the right choice. Now, however, she wasn't so sure. Each day felt like a hot poker stabbed her in the stomach. She moped around the hospital, putting up a perky facade so everyone would think she was fine. In truth, though, most of the hospital was moping. The brunette had left behind her friends as well as Arizona, something Mark was always quick to mention whenever the blonde let her emotions truly get to her at work.

She rounded the corner of the PEDs wing, bumping straight into her best friend. "Oh! Sorry, Teddy," she exclaimed as she steadied herself against the wall. "I clearly wasn't watching where I was going at all."

"Oh don't worry about it, Arizona," the taller blond replied kindly. "I know you've been a little out of it lately."

"Yeah," the PEDs surgeon muttered in agreement. "It's been a little rough."

Teddy took a deep breath while tapping her foot on the ground. "You should go to Minnesota."

"Excuse me," Arizona said, coughing in surprise.

"You need to go to Minnesota," Teddy repeated. "You're being an idiot."

The blond arched her eyebrows. "I'm being an idiot?"

"Yes, you're being an idiot," the other doctor said. "Look, I went on a date last night, with this guy I met on the Internet." Arizona gasped in shock, but Teddy silenced her with a hand before continuing. "Internet dating is evil and what you and Callie have is special. It survived despite 12 years of separation, you're being an idiot. Go to Minnesota, and revel in the fact that you will never have to go on a first date ever again."

"Um, I don't know how to respond to that."

Teddy shook her head as she walked away. "You are such an idiot."

The blonde scrunched her face in confusion as she continued on her way to the nurses' station. She grabbed a chart off the rack, scanning it quickly for some extra information on one of her patients. After her conversation with Teddy, Arizona's thoughts, once again, drifted to her girlfriend. She reached into her pocket and grabbed her cell phone. After typing out a quick text, she put the phone back in her pocket before rolling down the hall to a patient's room.

In Minnesota, Callie felt the buzz of her phone in the pocket of her lab coat. Flipping it open she saw it was a message from Arizona.

_I hope your day is going well...Teddy just called me an idiot for the record. :P Love you and I'll talk to you tonight!_

After sending a quick reply, the Latina dropped the phone back in her pocket and continued down the halls of her new hospital. The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota was very different from Seattle Grace. She thought SGH was nice, but walking into the Mayo lobby still amazed her, and she'd been there a month. The entire front was glass windows, the ceiling must have been 40 feet high, and there were sweeping wooden panels over pillars that separated the area into a few initial floors. It was breathtaking. She was still floored that she managed to get a job here, much less be tracked as head of the department.

Callie's first month had been trying to say the least. Being without her Seattle friends was proving to be more difficult than she thought it would be. In Minnesota, she didn't have the support from friends that she was used to, so Callie had forgotten what it was like to be on her own. That's not to say that everything was handed to her back in Seattle, but if she had a rough day, she could lean on Mark, ask Bailey for advice, drink tequila with Cristina and Meredith, or spend time with her girlfriend. In Rochester, she stood alone.

Of course, Callie was an outgoing person. She made friends easily, so she had settled in with a little crew of people. Jackson Avery was one of the more senior residents, and though he was more focused on cardio, he was at least tolerable. Most of the people Callie had met were just that: tolerable. She expected to be homesick, but it was definitely a little worse than she had anticipated. Of course, if she was truthful, she could exist in a friendship with Mark and Addison using phone calls and emails, it was this massive quagmire with Arizona that killed her.

Their fight in the airport made the ensuing week absolutely dreadful. Extremely hurt and furious, it had taken Callie a whole week to even pick up the phone. During that time, Arizona had sent a couple of frantic emails and left one voicemail, but she knew the Latina well enough not to hound her. They hadn't exactly talked about what had happened at the airport; Callie knew that wasn't going to get them anywhere. In fact, most of their conversations had been short, and not exactly lively. There was definitely tension there, and Callie didn't know what to do about it.

Despite the awkwardness within their relationship at the moment, Callie still found herself ready to run home to Seattle and her lover's arms. She supposed that's how she knew what she had with Arizona was special. Even though she was hurt and angry, the Latina still wanted to wake up next to the blonde every morning. She was completely and irrevocably in love with Arizona, and being in Minnesota definitely solidified her belief in that.

Wandering into an on-call room, Callie pulled her phone from the pocket of her lab coat. She needed a familiar voice right now. Quickly, the brunette dialed the number, waiting as it rang.

"Hello?" Mark Sloan's voice asked.

"Hey," Callie answered, breathing a sigh of relief at her friend's voice.

"Hey you!" Mark said, excitedly, "How is Mayo?"

"Oh, Mayo is fine," Callie replied lamely. "The research is going well. I had a huge break through yesterday."

"Callie, that's fantastic! But...I can't help but get the impression that I'm way more excited than you."

The Latina sighed in defeat, slumping against the bed in the on-call room. "I'm just getting the feeling that I made a mistake. Arizona and I are in total limbo, Mayo is fine but it's not Seattle, and it's freezing. Seriously Mark, it's snowing and today is October 26th."

The plastic surgeon couldn't help but laugh a his friend's last comment. "Listen, Torres. For the last four years you've been working in a hospital full of people who you've known forever. Being on your own for the first time in a while has to be tough, but you'll work it out. Just flash them that gorgeous smile of yours and you'll have them won over in no time. As for the crap with Arizona, that will either work out or it won't, but you can't make a huge decisions solely based on her, Cal. If you move back for Arizona and her contract isn't renewed or anything else happens, you'll end up resenting her and your decision. Just let things play out, and I have a feeling you'll be happy in the end."

"When did you become such a great guy?" Callie quipped. "You've lost your edge, Mark Sloan."

"I blame Lexie," the other surgeon teased. "Besides, I like to think I've just found a new edge."

Callie cursed as her pager beeped on her hip. "Sorry Mark," she said quickly, "I have to go. I'm being paged."

"Ok talk to you soon."

"Bye."

"Bye Torres." Mark hung up the phone. With a glum look on his face, he left his office. He was unsure of what to do with his best friend. It was quite clear that her first month in Minnesota had been harder than either of them had anticipated. From what she had told him, in regards to her work, it was going amazingly well. She was learning everyday, continuing her cartilage research, and also revisiting her interest in Polio. But outside of the hospital, things weren't always so great. Callie had confided in him on more than one occasion that she wasn't sleeping well, and that while at home it was difficult to not think about how lonely she was without Arizona. Mark could tell that her yearning for the blonde was becoming unbearable. Mark knew that the Latina missed him as well as their other friends, but it didn't really compare.

His thoughts still on Callie, Mark turned the corner of the hallway. He found himself suddenly being propelled backwards as he came in contact with another body.

"Damn," the other person cursed as they dropped the files they had been holding.

Mark turned to find Teddy scooping up a pile of folders that had spilled on the floor. "Oh crap! My bad, Teddy," the older surgeon exclaimed as he rushed over to help her. "My mind wasn't exactly here."

"No Mark, it's ok," Teddy replied sincerely. "I apparently have a thing for running into people today. I seriously just ran into Arizona about a half hour ago."

"How is she doing?" Mark asked.

"She's an idiot," Teddy replied flatly.

Mark nodded in agreement. "She is, but so is Callie."

"What are you talking about?" the blonde surgeon asked.

Mark leaned in close, so as to not let others hear what he was about to say. "Callie's thinking about moving back."

"WHAT?" Teddy shouted, causing the traffic in the hallway to cease. Looking around uncomfortably, she tried to cover, "The Seahawks won a game? Awesome!" The various doctors and nurses looked at her oddly before continuing their work. Satisfied that the attention was off them, she returned her attention to Mark. "Did you just say Callie is thinking about coming back?" Teddy asked in a harsh whisper.

Mark nodded. "She's dying out there without Arizona," He admitted. "She's made it a month, but I don't see her making it for another four or five or whatever. Plus stuff is weird between the two of them. Blondie is moping, Callie doesn't feel loved, and I'm standing here with you gossiping like a middle school queen bee."

Teddy sighed in exasperation. "This blows, but they'll figure it out right?"

"I hope so. I think the earth would crack if they split for good," he joked, but seeing Teddy's frown, he quickly amended, "Seriously Teddy, I doubt they'll break up."

Teddy blew a piece of hair out of her face. She hoped Mark was right, otherwise no one would end up being happy. "You better be right, Sloan. I don't think my Arizona doughnut budget could handle it."

Mark couldn't help but laugh along with Teddy. They both needed it, apparently. A pager sounding in the distance, however, reminded Mark of his upcoming surgery. "I've got to go," He said, backing down the hall. "Thanks for the laugh, Teddy."

"No problem," Teddy called over her shoulder after Mark. Securing her folders, she continued toward the cardio wing. Suddenly, Arizona appeared at her side, causing Teddy to roll her eyes playfully. "Didn't I just see you?"

"I saw you talking to Mark Sloan," the blonde PEDs surgeon said abruptly. "Did he say anything important?"

Teddy stopped and glared at her friend. If there was one thing she hated in this world almost as much as war, it was being put in the middle. "Are you pumping me for information, Arizona Robbins?"

"Should I be?" Arizona asked hopefully. "Oh best friend of mine..."

"You are an idiot."

Arizona frowned. "You said that already. I was hoping for something better."

Teddy wheeled on Arizona. "And you aren't hearing me. You. Are. An. Idiot. Callie is thinking about moving back here...for you. That's what I was talking to Mark about. Yes, she misses you, she's miserable, is that what you want to hear? The fact that I even have to spell it out for you is mind boggling," she spat angrily. Exhaling, she managed to regain her composure. "I'm sorry for freaking out on you, but seriously, what are you doing here? I know you have a contract that's good for a few more months, but who cares? Yes, we are close, but Callie is the love of your life. Get your skinny, little, perky ass on a plane. Please. I can't handle the stress anymore and the super perky facade. Just go already," she finished before storming away, her charts clasped tight against her chest.

Arizona frowned, taken aback by Teddy's strong words. Usually the cardio surgeon wasn't so forward about these sorts of things. Sure, she gave Arizona advice when she asked, but Teddy had never shown that much emotion or anger in the blonde's presence. She was simply dumbfounded. Turning on her heel, the blonde headed back towards the PEDs wing, in hopes of immersing herself in the work she had left for the day, and not think about the current drama surrounding her life.

Seven hours, a successful appendectomy, and lots of charting later, Arizona was heading across the street to Callie's old apartment building. She climbed the stairs quickly, electing not to use the elevator. The brunette would always tell her that it was only five floors. Using her key, the blonde opened the door to her girlfriend's former apartment.

"Hey Rollergirl," Cristina said from the couch.

"Hi," Arizona answered, walking to the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of Chardonnay, and poured herself a glass. She drank it in only a couple of gulps, and went to pour another.

"Rough day?" Cristina asked upon seeing the blonde chug her wine.

"I don't want to talk about it," Arizona replied as she grabbed her glass off the counter. She headed towards the bedroom she used to share with Callie. Closing the door behind her, the blonde slid to the floor still holding her wine. She sipped on the cool liquid as the tears began to stream down her cheeks. Today had been awful, and instead of being able to escape, she always came home to a place that reminded her of the worst mistake of her life.

Callie's apartment.

She moved in three weeks ago, during that excruciatingly painful week when she and Callie weren't speaking. One difficult night, after a long night of drinking at Joe's, Arizona stumbled to the Latina's former building. She managed to hold onto the key Callie had made for her a couple months prior, so getting into the apartment wasn't difficult. Though the brunette had taken the majority of her things, she had left behind some paintings and decorations, and other little things that let the apartment keep it's essence and familiarity for Arizona. That night, she collapsed on the floor of Callie's old bedroom, unable to make it to the bed. She found a forgotten sweatshirt of the brunette's, one of Arizona's favorites. She lied on the floor and cried herself to sleep, clutching desperately to the only tangible piece of her lover she had.

Since that dreadful night, Arizona hadn't been able to bring herself to leave. She hadn't been sleeping well at home, and at least this place had an air of familiarity. She was practically living there before Callie moved to Minnesota, so moving back to her own apartment had been, yet another, drastic change in her life. Yes, it was horribly difficult to walk into a space that reminded her of Callie every evening, but in a way she thought of it as her penance.

Arizona didn't need Teddy's outburst to tell her that she was an idiot. She'd come to that reason all on her own the minute she'd left the airport. She was just so terrified. Her wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, and loving girlfriend had asked her to move across the country. Arizona panicked. She really panicked. It wasn't the job, or her supposed life in Seattle. Callie was right; she was Arizona's life. Thinking that, and admitting it, however, were two very different things.

She and Callie had spent three wonderful months together twelve years ago. Arizona had no trouble admitting that she fell in love with that woman during that time, but she was young and it was summer. They didn't exist as a pair in the real world, and for twelve years she held onto that fantasy of escaping to the fantasy bubble she had shared with Callie. Finding her in Seattle was pure chance, but it gave them a chance to truly know one another, to fall in love outside of the mythical perfection of a Culver summer. And they had. For six months, Arizona fell more and more in love with Calliope Torres each and every day. But that was the problem, it was only six months. They were just starting to get to know one another again. Callie wanted her to make a life-altering decision and take a leap of faith. That day in the airport, she just wasn't able to do it.

That was a month ago.

If that time, especially today, had taught her anything, it was that life without Callie Torres was impossible. She knew she had to make a decision, but in all honesty it was already made. Wherever Callie was, Arizona wanted to be. She was an idiot, but at least she could admit her mistakes.

Swallowing the rest of her wine, Arizona picked up her phone, dialing Teddy's number.

"Hello?" Teddy's voice questioned.

"Get in the car, and come over here."

"Why?" the other blonde asked, confused as to why this was occurring.

"We're going to the airport," Arizona answered quickly.

"Ok. Give me ten minutes," Teddy replied before hanging up the phone.

As soon as she heard the dial tone, Arizona began sprinting around the room, throwing clothes in a bag. Draping it over her shoulder, she exited the bedroom into the living area.

"Where are you going?" Cristina called as Arizona sped past her to the door.

"Minnesota," the blonde answered quickly, grabbing her jacket from the coat rack.

"About damn time," the snarky surgeon muttered.

"What was that, Yang?" Arizona asked as she prepared to leave.

Cristina laughed. "Nothing. Travel safely."

The blonde didn't even respond, she was so focused. She just needed to get to the elevator. This was nerve wracking. Waiting for Teddy was like torture. It definitely seemed like it had been more than ten minutes when she finally pulled up to the curb. Arizona wasted no time in climbing inside the sleek sedan.

Teddy smirked as she pulled away, speeding to the airport. Arizona could still catch a late flight to Minneapolis, if she hurried. At this point she didn't give a damn about what it cost to get there or how long it would take, just as long as she ended up in Rochester in the end. "Am I still an idiot?" she asked her friend.

Teddy smiled from the other seat as she focused on the road. "No, you're a recovering idiot."

Arizona rolled her eyes. "Gee thanks, Teddy."

"Just be quiet, Arizona," the other blonde said, her eyes still trained out the windshield.

The PEDs surgeon smirked, as they continued to motor down the road. The airport was nearing and she was getting nervous. She glanced at her phone. Callie was going to be calling soon, and when Arizona didn't pick up, the brunette was sure to freak out. She had butterflies in her stomach at the thought of seeing the Latina for the first time in weeks. She didn't know if she was going to be able to survive the plane ride without dying of anxiety.

She said a hurried goodbye and thank you to Teddy, before rushing inside the terminal with her duffle still hanging off her shoulder. The ticket cost her an arm and a leg, but within the hour, Arizona sat on a plane heading for Minneapolis, MN. She had Teddy call ahead and reserve a rental car for her. So all she had to do was sit, and wait, which at this point was much easier said than done.

The wheels touching down in Minnesota jarred Arizona from her sleep. The day had exhausted her, and the bit of wine didn't help matters. She didn't check anything, so once she exited the plane she had no more hassles. Picking up the car was also pretty easy, since it was so late and not busy at all. Slipping inside the car, Arizona took off for Rochester. Thankfully the roads had been cleared from the snow earlier, though the blonde still didn't understand how snow was possible in October. December she could understand, but October was just ridiculous.

Other than her inner rant about snow and head nodding to the tunes on the radio, the drive to Rochester was uneventful. Thankfully her phone had a navigation app, that directed her to the address of Callie's apartment, otherwise she would have been screwed. She pulled into the parking lot a little after three in the morning. Because of adrenaline, however, Arizona was wide awake as she marched up to the door of the apartment building. She hit the buzz for Callie's number and waited.

"Who is it?" A groggy voice came over the intercom.

"It's me," Arizona replied.

Without another word, a buzz sounded that unlocked the door. Arizona elected to take the stairs because it was probably quicker, and she didn't care if her legs would burn in a few minutes. Once reaching Callie's floor, she jogged down the hallway until she came to the door of the Latina's door. She knocked loudly, hoping she Callie hadn't fallen asleep.

"Arizona?" a tired Callie questioned as she opened the door. "What are you doing here? I called you like twenty times."

"You left," the blonde blurted. "You left and I was an idiot."

Callie shook her head. "No, I'm the idiot. I shouldn't have chosen my career over you."

Arizona shushed her by placing a finger on the brunette's lips. "I'm the idiot Calliope. I don't want to be in Seattle if it means I'm not with you. I don't want to be the head of a department, if it means I can't see your beautiful face every morning. I want to grow old with you and have ten kids and save lives. I want it all, and I want it with you."

Callie was floored. The love of her life stood on her doorstep at some ungodly hour in the morning, confessing everything she had wanted to hear for the past month. She was offering the Latina a life together. Her heart swelled, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "Arizona, I love you so much."

The blonde's heart melted. This was it. She was taking the leap."I love you too, and I can't live without you and our ten kids and awesome surgeries, and godlike cartilage..."

She didn't get to finish because Callie's lips were on hers in a passionate kiss. The Latina pulled Arizona inside the apartment, kicking the door closed behind them. They were finally together. The details were fuzzy, but those could be worked out later. Tonight, all that was important was they finally made the leap and allowed themselves to fall. It wasn't supposed to be this way. They weren't supposed to meet that one summer, and they weren't supposed to have found each other twelve years later. But even if it was by accident, it still happened. There was no denying it.

Accidentally in Love.

* * *

**A/N 2: I did promise an epilogue and that will happen. Expect it in a couple of weeks, I'm just swamped with school. I hope this met your expectations, and you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I grew so much as a writer while writing this version of Calzona's story. A final thank you for taking that journey with me.**

**I love you all.**

**~KB~**


	17. Epilogue

A/N: OMG HURRAY! A huge thank you to EVERYONE who has read this story. I wish you all a merry merry Christmas. This is the epilogue that I think is just adorable, and sort of gives you a picture of the happily ever after. I'm so glad you all took the time to read this story...I absolutely loved reading it. As always...

Happy Reading,

~KB~

p.s. flashbacks are italics

* * *

"I'm so excited," Arizona practically squealed as she put her bag in the trunk of their Acura SUV.  
Callie smiled at her now wife, dropping a kiss on her cheek. "Me too, Arizona." Throwing her own bag into the car, the brunette turned around at the sound of tiny feet shuffling against the pavement. Her son, Alex, walked towards her, carrying two little suitcases. "What you got there, Buddy?"  
_"_  
_Calliope, I still remember the first time I saw you. You were dancing in your underwear and about to be super pissed at Mark for throwing a big party at your house. When we went out on your boat that night, never did I imagine that I could be standing here with you fifteen years later, committing my life to you. Seeing you at Joe's twelve years later was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I'm so happy I found you again and Teddy knocked some sense into me. You're my everything Calliope Torres, and I've never been happier than to stand here with you. I give this ring to you as a symbol of my love….our love, and our never ending bond."_

"I brought down my suitcase," the five year old replied as if it was the dumbest question in the world his mother just asked him. "I also brought my little sister's," He said, thrusting the other suitcase towards Callie.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Alex, you're only one minute older than Sydney."

"Still older," Alex rationalized as he climbed into his seat of the SUV.

Callie turned to face Arizona. "He's so your child," she said, giving Arizona's hand a light squeeze. After counting the suitcases, she closed the trunk, and dashed back into their home. Callie loved this house. She and Arizona had purchased it after they decided to have a child together. Her feet shuffled across the Maplewood floors as she tried to find Sydney. She was the last thing that needed to be loaded into the car for their road trip. "Sydney!" she called out, hoping the little voice belonging to her daughter would answer. Hearing nothing, Callie ran up the stairs to the kids' playroom.

_"Arizona, you are the reason I wake up every morning. You have hair that shines so brilliantly that it doesn't take a genius to understand why you're my sunshine. I thank God every day for you stumbling into my life. And though it was a hard road, I'm so glad we went through everything we did, because today, I can honestly say that I've never been more sure of anything in my life than I am of my love for you, of our love. I give this ring to you as a symbol of my love….our love, and our never ending bond."_

The house was listed as having five bedrooms. Giving Sydney and Alex each their own rooms was a given, but both Callie and Arizona had decided they didn't see themselves with a gaggle of children, despite the fact that Arizona did once tell Callie she wanted ten kids. Not wanting any of the rooms to go to waste, they turned one of the bedrooms into a playroom for the twins and their friends. There were plenty of nooks and crannies in which they could hide, and one of them was one of Sydney's favorites.

The Latina gently pushed open the door to the playroom, finding it to be completely empty. She glanced up at the lofted bed in the "tree house", where Sydney usually liked to hide, but she wasn't there. Cursing under her breath, Callie went to shut the door. She stopped, however, when she heard a tiny voice singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". The brunette smiled, once she realized where Sydney was hiding.

Tiptoeing across the room, Callie made her way to the back corner. Kneeling down, she pressed her hand against the wall, and pushed in a concealed button. A portion of the wall opened to reveal Sydney, her big blue eyes staring back at Callie. "What are you doing in here, kiddo?" Callie asked. "We're getting ready to go on our big adventure."

The young girl clutched her teddy bear as she sat in the small space. "I'm nervous."

"Why are you nervous? We're going to have so much fun. You'll get to swim and meet new people. It's going to be a blast."

Sydney looked up at her mother. "Mamacita," the girl said, using her nickname for Callie, "what if they don't like me?"

The Latina's heart just melted. She reached into the cavity, picking Sydney up, and put the child on her hip. She tickled her stomach and kissed her cheek. "They're going to love you, and you're going to see Uncle Mark."

Sydney perked up at the mention of her mom's best friend. "Uncle Mark?" she asked excitedly. "Will Aunt Addie be there too?"

"How about we call her from the car and ask her?"

"OK," Sydney said, putting her head on Callie's shoulder. Callie smoothed down her daughter's long, dark hair, placing a quick kiss on her head. She carried Sydney down the stairs and back out the door to the still running SUV. Depositing her in her seat, Callie buckled Sydney in, and quickly got into the driver's seat.

"Took you long enough," Arizona grumbled.

Callie smirked, knowing Arizona was playing. Her pouting was still cute. "I'll make it up to you later."  
Arizona took the brunette's hand, grazing her lips across her knuckles. "I'll hold you to that."  
The engine roared to life as Callie turned the key. She turned to the back of the car. "Who's ready for an adventure?"

"Me!" Alex and Sydney chorused from their seats.

Callie and Arizona couldn't contain their laughter as she car rolled out of the driveway, beginning their trip back to Culver.

_"Come on, Baby," Arizona coached by Callie's bedside as the Latina worked through childbirth. "Just a few more pushes."_

_"I hate you!" Callie shrieked as a contraction rolled through her body._

_"I love you too," the blonde replied, trying not to let the pain from Callie squeezing her hand manifest itself in her voice._

_With one last push, the baby was finally out. Addison held up the little boy, who immediately began to cry. She handed him over to a nurse, and sat back down. Cracking her neck and loosening her shoulders, she looked back up at her dear friend. "You ready for round two, Cal?"_  
_Callie nodded, cursing herself for choosing to do a natural birth. She knew she'd be happy she did tomorrow, but right now, the pain was the only thing on her mind. A soft smile appeared on her lips as Arizona stroked her cheek. "You're miraculous," the blonde murmured against Callie's sweaty hair. "I love you so much."_

_Callie was about to answer, when she felt, yet another contraction. Clutching Arizona's hand, she pushed. Hard. In only a few moments, Addison was handing the other baby off to another nurse. After they were properly prepared, the nurses gave the two babies to their proud mothers. Arizona accepted her little girl with tears in her eyes. "Hi Sydney," she whispered, soothing the small bundle in her arms._  
_Callie laid against the bed completely spent, but as she received her son from the nurse, a new energy spread through her. "Alexander…my little Alejandro."_

Eight hours later, they pulled into the familiar driveway of the Torres summer home. It'd been a rough car ride. Alex and Sydney had behaved most of the time, but when they got antsy, it wasn't fun for their mothers. Callie had truly missed this place. She and Aria paid for upkeep over the years, but neither of them made it to Culver as often as they wanted. Callie and Arizona managed to come back for a romantic weekend a year or so after the wedding, but after having Alex and Sydney, things became much more complicated. Callie wanted to wait until the kids were old enough to fully enjoy the Lake without the constant supervision of their parents. Both Alex and Sydney were strong swimmers, so neither Callie nor Arizona had problems with them splashing around in the shallow end, while the parents sat on the patio.

As Callie and Arizona unloaded the car, Sydney and Alex ran into the house. "Sydney," Callie called, "come here." She handed the two small suitcases to her daughter. "Since Alex brought these down from the house, I want you to take them up ok?"

"Ok, which room is mine?"

Arizona smiled behind her wife. "Look for the room with all the beds."

"Ok…" Sydney said with just a hint of confusion mixed with annoyance.

"We really shouldn't let her watch Hannah Montana," Callie said, shaking her head at her daughter's attitude.

Arizona threw her hands up in the air as she reached for another bag. "I tried to tell you, Calliope, but you watched one episode with Sydney and then sang 'Best of Both Worlds' in the shower for a week." Glaring playfully at the brunette, Arizona handed her the big suitcase. "That child has you wrapped around her little finger, so you are going to be handling that 'tude' as she grows up."

"You know…you aren't that funny, Arizona," Callie said in a huff, pulling the suitcase behind her as she entered the house. Sighing deeply, the brunette took in the sight around her happily. She loved this house, and was happy that she and Aria decided to do very little to change it. She turned as Alex came scampering around the corner, nearly running into Callie. "Adonde vas?" She asked him as he skidded to a halt at the bottom of the stairs.

"Para encontrar a Sydney," he responded in his typical singsong voice.

"She's upstairs," Arizona said, dropping her bag next to Callie's.

"Gracias, Mama," Alex replied with a nod of his head before bolting up the stairs. He walked down the long hallway, amazed at how big the house was. Their house in Rochester was big, but this place was huge. "Sydney!" He called, looking for his sister.

"Alex!" He heard his sister's enthusiastic voice call from the room at the end of the hall. "You gotta see this."

Alex pushed open the door and was greeted by a room full of bunk beds and toys. He looked for Sydney, finding her on the window seat at the very back of the room. Sitting next to her, he gazed out the window, and took a deep breath as he took in the sight of Lake Maxinkuckee stretching out in front of him. "Wow."

"You like the room?" Callie asked from the doorway, surprising her children.

"Yeah!" Sydney shouted.

"Callie? Arizona?" Mark's booming voice called through the house.

"Why don't you go say hi to your Uncle Mark?"

The kids dashed down the stairs to go see Mark and his family. Callie tugged Arizona's hand, pulling her back before she could leave the room. She captured the blonde's lips in a tender kiss. "I'm so happy we're here."

After dropping another sweet kiss on the Latina's lips Arizona said, "Me too, Calliope."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

A/N 2: So...I do have an idea for a sequel, but it's very kid heavy, so I'm going to let you decide. Basically, the kids of the SGHMW gang all go to boarding school at Culver. I might write just for personal entertainment, but if you all want to read it as will, then I will probably post it. There will be some calzona plot stuff...as well as other adults, but i'm not going to lie...it's more about the kids. So if you're into that and you want to see it let me know in your review/comment or shoot me a pm.

Much Love and Merry Christmas!

~KB~


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